Mudpool's Path
by RainbowKandiKorn22
Summary: LeafClan, MistClan, ShadeClan and BreezeClan have been at peace for many seasons. But darkness threatens at the corners of their territory, and cats are being killed off, one by one. One cat, with the help of others, is prophesied to save the Clans. But can she do it before time runs out? Rated T for blood and violence. COMPLETED!
1. Prologue

**Mudpool's Path- Prologue**

**A/N**

**Woah, woah, woah hold up! Stop the presses! I just wanted to mention this is my first fic. I also wanted to mention I do not own Warriors, however I do own the fancharacters that are featured in this fic. Warriors belongs to Erin Hunter. Got that? Warriors belongs to ERIN HUNTER.** **Okay, you're good. Continue!**

* * *

**_Mudpool's Path- Allegiances_**

**LeafClan**

**Leader: **

Icestar- Light gray tom with blue eyes

**Deputy: **

Thrushflight- Brown and gray tabby tom

**Medicine Cat: **

Blacktail- Black tom with green eyes

Apprentice- Sandpaw

**Warriors: **

Cloudstorm- White tom with icy blue eyes

Apprentice- Rainpaw

Twistedfoot- Black tom with a twisted paw

Nutwhisker- Gray and white tom with green eyes

Mosseyes- Gold and white tom with bright green eyes

Petalbloom- Cream and white she-cat

Nightclaw- Black tom

Birdwing- Tortoiseshell and white she-cat

Dawnshadow- Black and white she-cat

Weaselfang- Ginger tom

Volefur- Dark gray tom

Riverflower- Gray she-cat with blue eyes

Streamtail- Pale gray tom

**Apprentices: **

Sandpaw- Pale ginger tom with amber eyes, medicine cat apprentice

Rainpaw- Mottled light gray tabby she-cat

**Queens: **

Nettlepelt- Mottled black and brown she-cat, mother of Thrushflight's kits: Snowkit (white she-cat), Silverkit (silver tabby tom) and Mudkit (brown mottled tabby she-cat)

Specklefur- Tortoiseshell and black she-cat, mother of Streamtail's kits: Rockkit (gray she-cat) and Morningkit (gold and white she-cat)

Featherflight- Pale gray she-cat, mother of Weaselfang's kits: Hawkkit (brown and white she-cat) and Tigerkit (ginger tabby she-cat with white paws)

Goldpetal- Ginger and white she-cat, mother of Mosseyes' kit: Maplekit (orange and white tom)

**Elders:**

Grassnose- Pale brown tom with green eyes

Skyfoot- Large gray tom, blind in one eye

* * *

**MistClan**

**Leader:**

Ivystar- Light brown tabby she-cat

**Deputy: **

Foxfang- reddish-ginger tom

**Medicine Cat:**

Icepool- White and silver she-cat with blue eyes

**Warriors:**

Marshpelt- Gray tom with green eyes

Reedstripe- Light brown tabby tom

Apprentice: Wavepaw

Toadleap- Dark brown tabby tom

Lilyfoot- Mottled gray she-cat

Apprentice: Eaglepaw

Pebblestream- Light gray she-cat

Boulderstep- Large dark gray tom

Sunfur- Ginger tom with amber eyes

Fernheart- Light brown tabby she-cat

Splashfur- White she-cat with gray spots

**Apprentices: **

Eaglepaw- Brown and white tom

Wavepaw- Silver she-cat with wavy tabby stripes

**Queens: **

Shellflower- Gray she-cat, mother to Minnowkit (black she-cat) and Owlkit (brown tabby tom)

Shimmerstream- Black and silver she-cat, mother to Mosskit (tortoiseshell she-cat with white paws and black-tipped tail), Squirrelkit (brown she-cat), Stormkit (dark gray tom) and Duskkit (black she-cat)

**Elders:**

Dustclaw- Brown tom

Ripplesong- silver she-cat

* * *

**ShadeClan**

**Leader:**

Flamestar- Ginger tom with amber eyes

**Deputy:**

Mousetail- Pale gray tom with a skinny tail

**Medicine Cat:**

Smokeshadow- Dark gray tom with amber eyes

Apprentice- Sweetpaw

**Warriors:**

Pineclaw- Reddish brown tom

Shadowfall- Black tom

Leopardtail- Light brown spotted tabby she-cat

Wildstorm- Gray tom with blue eyes

Talonstrike- Brown tabby tom

Lilypetal- White she-cat with gray paws

Mossfern- Tortoiseshell she-cat

**Apprentices:**

Sweetpaw- White she-cat with brown spotted coat and bright pink nose

**Queens:**

Darkpetal- Dark gray she-cat, mother to Poppykit (reddish ginger she-cat), Snakekit (brown tabby tom) and Ivykit (light brown tabby she-cat)

Willowfrost- Gray she-cat, mother to Honeykit (pale ginger she-cat), Tanglekit (dark brown tabby tom) and Swiftkit (gray and white she-cat)

**Elders:**

Skycloud- Gray she-cat

Spottedfern- Tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes

* * *

**BreezeClan**

**Leader:**

Cloudstar- White tom

**Deputy:**

Daisypetal- White she-cat with yellow eyes

**Medicine Cat:**

Sunpelt- Golden tom with green eyes

**Warriors:**

Spiderstripe- Dark gray tom with black tabby stripes

Brighteyes- White and ginger she-cat with blue eyes

Loudheart- Huge gray tabby tom

Owlpelt- Brown and white tabby tom

Dogfang- Dark brown tabby tom

Apprentice- Featherpaw

Sandflower- Pale ginger she-cat

Stonestream- Gray tabby tom

Rabbitfoot- White tom

Apprentice- Ashpaw

**Apprentices:**

Ashpaw- Light gray tom

Featherpaw- Very pale gray she-cat

**Queens:**

Nightflower- Black she-cat, mother to Heatherkit (small gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes) and Thunderkit (gray tom with yellow eyes)

Whispersong- Brown she-cat, mother to Petalkit (cream tabby she-cat with green eyes) and Dawnkit (cream and white she-cat with blue eyes)

Icefur- White she-cat, mother to Frostkit (white she-cat) and Seedkit (brown tabby tom)

**Elders:**

Longstripe- Gray tabby tom

Swiftwind- Black and white tom

* * *

Starlight filtered in through the treetops. An enormous maple tree stood in the center of the clearing, its red leaves rustling in the greenleaf breeze.

A brown tabby she-cat appeared at the edge of the clearing, her green eyes darting to the bushes on the other side. Appearing beside her, a silver she-cat arrived, her dainty paws kneading the ground with impatience. Across from the two cats, two more toms appeared, one was black with sharp amber eyes, the second dark gray with dark blue eyes.

"Cats of StarClan!" the brown tabby yowled, "We, the leaders from the beginning have seen what will unfold upon the Clans of the forest! We have recieved a prophecy that will guide them!"

More cats flooded into the clearing, as the first four cats made their way up the maple tree, settling in between the two branches in the middle.

"Leaf, are you certain that you are not mistaken? Surely there will be peace to come for many moons more?" a cat called from the crowd.

"We, too, have seen this fate," the silver she-cat meowed. "Leaf knows what she has seen!"

"Mist is correct," the black tom mewed. "The danger is unknown, but we know for certain it is not to be taken lightly."

"Our Clans need our help," the dark gray tom meowed. "We will send a prophecy to the Clan who has The Chosen One. The One will get help from others in their Clan, and together they will defeat the darkness that threatens to destroy them all."

"Well spit it out, Breeze! We don't have all the moons in the world!" the black tom hissed.

"Settle down, Shade." Leaf mewed. "I will say the prophecy, since I was the one to recieve it."

"If I may speak, Leaf," Mist spoke up. "I should add that since it was you that led one of the Clans, it should be your Clan that recieves the prophecy."

"I agree," Breeze mewed, and after slight hesitation, Shade nodded in agreement.

Leaf straightened up, letting her gaze fall over the assembled cats. "_The shadows of the past are threatening the Clans. The cats of mud, hawk, rock, rain and tiger must come together to defeat the impending darkness._"

When she finished her sentence, anxious murmurs spread through the crowd.

"What does she mean?"

"Will the Clans be destroyed?"

"This can't be! Peace has ruled the forest for so many seasons!"

Leaf waited for the clamour to die down. "Cats of StarClan, I have chosen the cat who shall save the Clans. Look up."

All the cats in the clearing looked up at the starry sky, Silverpelt shining down on them, an image of a cat appeared, in all the stages of its life, suckling beside its mother, training as an apprentice, fighting alongside its Clanmates, and finally being made a warrior of its Clan.

"Will this cat truly save us all?" a she-cat mewed from the crowd.

"Yes, Shimmerheart, this cat is destined to save us," Leaf responded, an unknown emotion clouding her gaze. "We must have faith that she will save the Clans."

Leaf, Mist, Shade and Breeze looked down at the cats, speaking at the same time, their voices merging into one.

"We can do nothing but send her the prophecy. We cannot interfere with her path."


	2. Chapter 1

**Mudpool's Path- Chapter 1**

Mudkit squirmed in the mossy nest beside her brother and sister. She hated cold nights like this. She hated leaf-bare altogether.

_Why can't it be greenleaf? _she thought bitterly. _Why can't we have warmth and sunshine instead of snow and cold?_

When she opened her eyes, the gray light of dawn was filtering in from above. The brambles and ivy that reinforced the tree roots of the nursery weren't exactly the best thing to keep the heat in, but it was warm enough. She looked over at the other nests. Specklefur and her kits, Rockkit and Morningkit, were gone. _Probably outside, _Mudkit thought. Featherflight and her kits, Hawkkit and Tigerkit, were sound asleep. They were the youngest kits in the nursery, born one moon after Mudkit and her siblings. Goldpetal and her kit, Maplekit, were awake. Maplekit stretched himself, and began to groom his sleek thin pelt. He trotted out of the nursery, head and tail held high.

_Arrogant furball, she_ thought. She soon remembered; _Maplekit _wasn't the deputy's daughter. She purred, then nestled back into the nest, curling her tail over her nose.

It wasn't long before she took a paw to the muzzle.

"Ow!" she squeaked, jumping up to face her sister, Snowkit, with a teasing look on her face. "What was that for?"

"Sorry, Mudkit," Snowkit mewed. "But Mama said you _have _to get outside today."

"I think I'd rather stick my face in a fox den," Mudkit grumbled, curling back up.

"You'd still have to go outside for that," Snowkit pointed out.

Mudkit stood up, shaking out her ruffled fur. She hated being the youngest out of her siblings. Snowkit was the oldest, giving her every right to be bossy. "Fine I'll go out. Where's Silverkit?"

Silverkit was her brother, and they had always been very close. She and Snowkit, on the other paw, not so much.

"He's with Daddy," Snowkit replied. "Silverkit said he just got back from a hunting patrol."

Mudkit followed her sister out into the camp. The snow was very deep, but being five moons old, she was able to walk through it without sinking through. She spotted Rockkit's gray pelt up ahead, so she padded over to her.

"Hi Rockkit," Mudkit mewed. Rockkit was a moon older than Mudkit, and she guessed Rockkit and Morningkit would be having their apprentice ceremonies soon.

Rockkit turned around, her green eyes shining with excitement. "Mudkit! Guess what? Morningkit and I are having our apprentice ceremony today!"

"I guessed you two would have them soon," Mudkit purred.

Morningkit turned her head away. She never liked Mudkit, much to her surprise. Rockkit told her it was probably from being the deputy's kit and getting so much attention, but Mudkit prayed it wasn't that.

"When is it going to be?" Mudkit asked.

"Sometime before sunset, is what Icestar said," Rockkit mewed. "And Maplekit's having his ceremony today, too."

"You got that right!" a mew sounded from behind her.

Mudkit turned around to see Maplekit's muzzle turned up into a proud smile.

"Icestar said I get the best mentor there is," he went on, making Mudkit want to shove his head into the snow to get him to shut up. "Maybe he'll even mentor me himself!"

"Yeah right!" Rockkit mewed. "The leader never mentors an apprentice, unless that apprentice is extremely skilled."

"Isn't it obvious he'll mentor me, then?" Maplekit boasted.

Mudkit rolled her eyes. "Dream on, Maplekit."

Maplekit grinned. "Or he'll give me the deputy!"

Mudkit's patience snapped. "He would _never_ in a million moons give you my father, you arrogant little mouse-heart!"

Maplekit's tail twitched. "You're just jealous that you can't be an apprentice yet!"

Before she could fire another stinging retort, Maplekit turned around and padded off, his tail held high.

"He's just mad that there are no other toms in the Clan besides your brother," Rockkit assured her.

Morningkit stood up. "I'd be mad too if I were the only she-cat in a Clan," she meowed flatly, following Maplekit.

"What crawled into her nest last night?" Rockkit muttered.

Mudkit was about to respond, when she spotted Thrushflight padding over to them.

"Hello, Mudkit, hello Rockkit," he purred.

"Hi Daddy," Mudkit mewed.

"Mudkit, I thought I should tell you that I'm going to become a mentor today," Thrushflight went on, his eyes gleaming with pride.

_Mouse-dung! _Mudkit cursed. _Was Maplekit right?_

"I'll be mentoring Maplekit," he went on, and Mudkit felt her spirits drop.

_Yep. He was right. _

"But you _can't _mentor Maplekit!" Mudkit protested.

"I have to. Icestar's orders," Thrushflight soothed. "He said, 'I can't think of anyone better for the job!'"

"But-"

"Look, I know you wanted me to mentor one of you kits," he meowed, referring to Snowkit, Silverkit and Mudkit. "But I have to do this."

Without another word, her father turned and parted for the leader's den.

Mudkit hated when her father ignored her feelings and how she felt about anything.

"You know, he has a point," Rockkit mewed after a long period of silence.

Mudkit stared at her friend. "How? How does he have a point?"

"Well he can't mentor you, or any of your littermates for that matter," Rockkit replied. "If he did, other cats would think he's picking favorites. He's only thinking about you guys."

Mudkit was quiet for a moment, thinking about what Rockkit said, soon realizing she was right. She gritted her teeth. She hated it when she was wrong.

"Aw, come on, Mudkit!" Rockkit purred. "Don't take what I said to heart! You'll probably get a great mentor!"

"Not as great as my father," Mudkit sighed.

~o~o~o~o~

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highbranch for a Clan meeting!" Icestar's yowl rang out across the camp.

Mudkit settled beside Hawkkit and Tigerkit, who were eagerly awaiting for the ceremony to start.

Rockkit, Morningkit and Maplekit dashed away from their mothers to sit at the front of the crowd of assembled cats.

The leaf-bare sun was setting over the the treetops, away from Clan territory, just in time for the ceremony.

The medicine cat, Blacktail, emerged from the cleft in a rock that formed the medicine den. Following him was Sandpaw, his apprentice.

Mudkit's mother, Nettlepelt, settled with the other queens, who were nearby with the kits.

"Today is a great day for LeafClan," Icestar began. "For we are naming three kits who have reached their sixth moon to become apprentices."

He beckoned to Rockkit with his tail. She bounded over to stand beneath the Highbranch.

Icestar looked down. "Rockkit, until you recieve your warrior name, you shall be known as Rockpaw." He then looked over at Nightclaw, a lean black tom. "Nightclaw, you will be mentor to Rockpaw. May StarClan guide the both of you on your journey together."

Rockpaw and Nightclaw touched noses, and sat together in the crowd.

"Morningkit," Icestar called the next kit, who padded over slowly. "Until you recieve your warrior name, you will be known as Morningpaw. May StarClan guide your paws on your path to becoming a warrior."

A small dark gray tom padded forward.

"Volefur," Icestar beckoned to the tom. "You are ready for your first apprentice. I trust you with Morningpaw. Share with her your courage and compassion."

_Especially compassion, _Mudkit thought angrily, as the pair touched noses and retreated to the front of the crowd.

"Maplekit," Icestar called, beckoning to the orange and white kit. "Until you recieve your warrior name, you shall be known as Maplepaw. Thrushflight will be your mentor."

Audible gasps were heard among the crowd. Mudkit clearly wasn't the only one who was surprised, though it was old news to her now.

Maplepaw and Thrushflight touched noses, and padded off into the crowd. Maplepaw flashed an arrogant grin at Mudkit, before he left to the apprentice den with Morningpaw and Rockpaw.

She heard Hawkkit hiss beside her. "What a mouse-heart, right?"

Tigerkit nodded. "Yeah. Acting like he's so special because he got the deputy as his mentor."

"I agree," Mudkit mewed. "There are plenty of mentors out there. Thrushflight can't be the best."

Hawkkit turned to her. "I was talking about the way he looked at you. It's almost like he's going to try and steal your father away from you."

"I wouldn't put it past him to do that," Mudkit replied. "He put a piece of crow-food in my nest a few days ago! It took until moonrise to get the stench out!"

The three of them purred, happy that they were able to joke around so easily with each other. Still, Mudkit couldn't get what Hawkkit said out of her mind.

_It's almost like he's going to try and steal your father away from you, _the words echoed in her mind.

~o~o~o~o~

Mudkit snuck out of the nursery that night. She through the dirtplace just behind the nursery to the outside of the camp.

_ It's so pretty here at night, _she thought.

She didn't know where she was going, she just wanted to get out of the camp for a while. It had been a whole half moon (Author's note: That's two weeks in Clan terminology) since the apprentice ceremony, and in another half-moon, she'd be an apprentice.

But everything was wrong; Nettlepelt and Thrushflight had gotten into a fight, and decided that they were no longer mates. It tore Mudkit's heart apart. Her father never even looked at her now, thanks to Maplepaw. Now it seemed as though he truly were trying to take her father away from her.

_Stupid Maplepaw, _Mudkit thought angrily as she dug through the snow with her claws. _Stupid, stupid Maplepaw... _

A stick cracked behind her. She bristled and spun around. A light gray spotted she-cat was staring at her, amber eyes curious.

"Oh... hi Rainpaw," Mudkit mewed.

Rainpaw, who was two moons older than Mudkit, padded up to her. They hadn't talked much, but they somehow had a bond that Mudkit wished she had with Snowkit, a strong sisterly bond.

"You okay?" Rainpaw asked, her eyes hiding nothing.

Mudkit sighed. "No, not really."

Rainpaw sat down beside her. "You shouldn't be out here. It's too cold."

"I know," Mudkit murmered. "I just... wanted to get away from the camp for a little while, you know?"

Rainpaw nodded. "You don't like that your parents don't love each other anymore, do you?"

Mudkit laid down. "That's exactly it. I thought my father really loved my mother, but... I guess not."

Rainpaw shook her head. "They still have one thing in common, Mudkit."

Mudkit raised her head. "What?"

"They both still love you. Very much, in fact. That's never going to change."

Mudkit rolled her eyes. "Then why doesn't Thrushflight pay attention to me anymore?"

Rainpaw purred. "He's busy with training Maplepaw, remember? And Maplepaw's so busy trying to outdo the other apprentices that he's got his paws full."

"Yeah, right. Maplepaw's just trying to steal Thrushflight away from me," Mudkit sighed solemnly.

"That's ridiculous!" Rainpaw mewed. "Even Maplepaw wouldn't do that, even if he is an annoying little flea!"

Mudkit purred. "You don't seem to like him very much."

"Yeah, well he complains way too much when he has to clean out the elders' den, and he even criticized my hunting skills!" Rainpaw meowed.

Mudkit grinned. She was happy that Rainpaw was here, not scolding her like a newborn kit.

"We should go back," Rainpaw said. "The dawn patrol will be out soon."

Before Mudkit could protest, Rainpaw then teased, "Or I'll tell Icestar that you left camp without permission!"

~o~o~o~o~

Mudkit snuck back into the nursery, falling asleep quickly. Hawkkit and Tigerkit were snoring softly with Featherflight, her bushy tail curled around them. Silverkit and Snowkit were still asleep, and Nettlepelt's flank rose and fell evenly with every breath.

Mudkit soon realized she was dreaming. She realized this as soon as she saw there was no snow on the ground, but lush grass, and instead of cold winds, a warm greenleaf breeze blew past her nose, carrying the scents of the stream.

Mudkit padded forward, stopping beside a small pond. She sniffed the air. Looking around her, she saw rocky land and small bulrushes. The scent on the air smelled of starlight. From the stories Sandpaw told her, she guessed this was the Moonhill, far off in BreezeClan territory.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" a voice purred.

Mudkit spun around, to see a beautiful silver and white she-cat. She tilted her head. This cat looked a lot like Nutwhisker, a gray and white tom in her Clan.

"H-hello," Mudkit stammered.

"Do not fret, little one," the she-cat meowed. "You are in StarClan."

"StarClan?" Mudkit mewed, looking around. She realized that there were many cats here, none of them that she recognized. She turned to face the she-cat again. "I'm not dead, am I?"

The starry cat purred. "No, you are still alive," she replied. "My name is Shimmerheart. I have come to give you a prophecy."

Mudkit pricked her ears. "A prophecy?" Didn't medicine cats and leaders only get prophecies? Why would StarClan give a prophecy to a kit, soon to be an apprentice?

"Yes, dear one," Shimmerheart mewed. "The shadows of the past are threatening the Clans. The cats of mud, hawk, rock, rain and tiger must come together to defeat the impending darkness."

"B-but what does that mean?" Mudkit squeaked.

Shimmerheart beckoned for her to look into the pond. When Mudkit looked, images began to slice through the ripples. Images of her with her brother and sister, running through the forest alongside her Clanmates, fighting against an enemy larger than she was, then finally her leaping at another cat, who she could hardly see because of the darkness.

The images stopped appearing, and Mudkit looked up. "What does it mean? What does any of this have to do with me?" she asked.

"You will find the answers, Mudkit," Shimmerheart replied. "You are not alone in the prophecy. You will find others, who will help you."

Shimmerheart and the rest of the StarClan cats began to fade. "Go, Mudkit. Find the others. The fate of the Clans rest in your paws!"

Mudkit woke up with a start, her head whipping around to see the familiar walls of the nursery. _What a frightening dream! _ she thought.

But the words stuck inside her head like cobwebs.

_How in the name of StarClan am I supposed to find these other cats?_

* * *

**Well? How was it? Tell me what you think!**


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2 is now up! I don't own Warriors! (How many times do I have to say that?!)**

* * *

**Mudpool's Path- Chapter 2**

Thinking about the prophecy made Mudkit's head hurt. She wanted to believe it was all just a dream, but it seemed so realistic. She could never get her mind off of it.

Her thoughts were inturrupted when her mother ran her tongue between her ears.

"Hey!" she squeaked. "I'm clean already! I'm clean!"

Nettlepelt purred. "Of course you are," she mewed.

Icestar yowled out over the camp, summoning the Clan together.

Snowkit and Silverkit raced ahead, Mudkit tagging behind. _This is it, _Mudkit thought. _Our apprentice ceremony!_

The prophecy took up a lot of her mind, so it came as a surprise when Icestar told them they'd be having their ceremony soon.

Icestar sat on the Highbranch, his light gray fur shining in the sunlight. The other apprentices, Rockpaw, Morningpaw, Maplepaw and Rainpaw, had all assembled near the front. They were all very excited to watch the ceremony.

Snowkit, Silverkit and Mudkit sat at the very front, waiting for their names to be called.

"Snowkit," Icestar called first. Snowkit bounded forward to sit beneath the Highbranch.

"From this moment, until you recieve your warrior name, you will be known as Snowpaw. Your mentor will be Mosseyes."

A gold and white tom with green eyes padded forward to touch noses with Snowpaw, and they retreated to the crowd. It was then that Mudkit remembered that Mosseyes was Maplepaw's father.

_Welcome to my world, Maplepaw, _Mudkit thought as she saw a look of annoyance cross Maplepaw's face.

"Silverkit," Icestar called. The tabby kit bounded forward and stretched up on his toes to meet Icestar's gaze.

"Until you recieve your warrior name, you will be known as Silverpaw." Icestar turned and beckoned with his tail to a black and white thick-furred she-cat.

"Dawnshadow, you will be mentor to Silverpaw. Share with him your honesty and bravery."

Dawnshadow touched noses with Silverpaw, jerking backwards as he came too fast, and sat down.

"Mudkit," Icestar meowed. Mudkit stepped forward, quivering with excitement. "Until you recieve your warrior name you will be known as Mudpaw."

Mudpaw wondered who her mentor would be. _Not Twistedfoot, _she thought. _He can't be a mentor because of his paw. _

She looked up and realized with excitement that it was Nutwhisker, Shimmerheart's brother.

Nutwhisker was a great warrior. Maybe a bit too headstrong, but still a great warrior.

"Nutwhisker, you will be Mudpaw's mentor. Share with her your kindess and loyalty."

Mudpaw was shaking when she turned to touch noses with Nutwhisker.

"Don't worry," Nutwhisker whispered, too quiet for any other cat to hear. "You'll be a great warrior."

Mudpaw felt hot with embarrassment, but she felt happy, too. Nutwhisker actually had faith in her. Hopefully she wouldn't screw up anything.

The assembled cats called out their names, except for Maplepaw and Morningpaw. Mudpaw wondered why they weren't cheering, but she pushed the thought away. She was finally an apprentice of LeafClan!

~o~o~o~o~

Mudpaw padded after Nutwhisker. He was showing her the territory, all the way to the borders.

They stopped when they reached the Twoleg path, which was the border between LeafClan and ShadeClan territory.

"What can you smell, Mudpaw?" Nutwhisker asked.

Mudpaw lifted her nose. "Dog, but it's stale. And... something really smelly!"

"Good," Nutwhisker praised. "That bad smell must be ShadeClan, since we're so close to the border. We'll avoid their territory for now, but remember that smell."

They padded through the forest, coming to a river. The water was frozen.

"Is it safe to walk across?" Mudpaw asked.

"Probably," Nutwhisker replied. "But this is the MistClan border, so we shouldn't even try walking across into their territory."

Mudpaw sniffed the air. A marshy scent hovered on the air. _That must be MistClan scent, _she thought. She turned to another piece of territory, which was surrounded by hills.

"Is that BreezeClan territory?" she asked, pointing towards the hills with her tail.

"Yes, Mudpaw, very good," Nutwhisker purred. "If you cross through their territory, you'll eventually get to the Moonhill. We won't go there today, but when Hawkkit and Tigerkit are apprentices, we'll go."

Mudpaw nodded and continued. She and her mentor eventually stopped at an old Twoleg nest.

"In green-leaf, we can get catmint from here. It's good for greencough," Nutwhisker mewed.

_It won't be that long, _Mudpaw thought, seeing patches of grass poking out of the snow. _Leaf-bare's almost over. _

Just then, a thin mewling was heard coming from the river. Mudpaw and Nutwhisker raced to the MistClan border, when they found two, tiny she-kits, one tortoiseshell and one light brown and white.

"Poor things," Mudpaw meowed. "Where do you think the mother is?"

"I'm not sure," Nutwhisker murmured. "But no Clan queen would leave her kits out in the snow."

Mudpaw sniffed them; They both carried an unfamiliar scent.

"They're probably rogue kits," her mentor mewed. "But we can't just leave them here."

"Let's take them back to camp, then!" Mudpaw suggested. "We can raise them to be warriors!"

For a moment, a gleam of hope lit Nutwhisker's gaze, but was soon replaced by doubt. "Mudpaw, they're rogues. How do we know they'll be loyal to LeafClan?"

"Nutwhisker like you said, we can't just leave them here," Mudpaw argued. "If we do, who knows what'll happen? They could freeze to death, or a fox will get them! We'd be seen as cruel compared to the other Clans!"

Nutwhisker stared at her for a moment, then picked up a kit. "We'd best get a move on, then," he meowed through a mouthful of fur.

Mudpaw picked up the second kit, who squealed loudly. _It'll be okay, _she thought. _You're going to be okay. _

They padded through their territory, squeezing through the thorn entrance to the camp. Cloudstorm, Rainpaw's mentor, was the first to notice them.

"Kits?" he mewed, sniffing each of them. "Rogue kits?"

They caught the attention of the whole camp. Petalbloom and Riverflower poked their heads out of the warriors' den, wide-eyed.

"You brought rogue kits to the camp?" Petalbloom asked, hiding no astonishment in her voice.

Birdwing and Weaselfang, having gotten back from patrol, both stared in shock at Mudpaw and Nutwhisker.

"What have you done?" Weaselfang yowled.

Maplepaw padded forward. "They have plagued our Clan with these abominations, is what they have done!" he hissed. "Have you brought them here, thinking that we could raise them to be warriors?"

"Kits? Where?" Hawkkit mewed, poking her head out of the nursery. "Oh! Tigerkit! Come quick! There are kits!"

"Really?"

The two remaining kits darted out of the nursery, skidding to a halt in front of Mudpaw.

"They're so cute!" Hawkkit squealed. "Are they staying?"

"Of course they're staying, mouse-brain! They're kits!" Tigerkit squeaked.

"Rogues aren't welcome in this Clan," Streamtail, a young warrior spoke up. "Rogue _kits _ on the other paw... well they can't remember much about where they were born, or that they're even rogues. It wouldn't hurt to raise them as warriors."

"I agree," Nettlepelt mewed. "If they do stay, I'll raise them."

"Are you mad?" Thrushflight hissed. "We can't let rogues in our camp! It's leaf-bare! They'll eat all of our fresh-kill!"

"It's almost newleaf, Thrushflight," Birdwing mewed. "We can catch more prey. I agree with Streamtail. They can stay."

"That's for me to decide, Birdwing," a mew sounded from behind the crowd.

Cats moved aside to let Icestar through, his blue eyes not showing anything.

"But you are right. If we leave them out in the cold, they'll probably die before newleaf even comes. We'd be more cruel than the mother that abandoned them out there. I think they should stay," he meowed.

Mudpaw felt happiness tingle in her fur.

Nettlepelt padded up to them. "Let's take them to the nursery. I'll care for them."

The cats left for the nursery, and Mudpaw heard Maplepaw whisper loudly, "If I were leader, I wouldn't have let them stay!"

Nettlepelt laid down in a mossy nest, and Mudpaw and Nutwhisker laid the kits beside her belly. The kits squirmed blindly, then latched onto Nettlepelt's belly and began to suckle.

"I think I'll name this one Dapplekit," Nettlepelt murmed, pointing to the tortoiseshell, then pointing to the light brown and white kit, "And I'll name this one Fernkit."

"I think those are great names, Nettlepelt," Nutwhisker purred.

Mudpaw and Nutwhisker padded out of the nursery, where they were greeted by Icestar.

"How is Nettlepelt?" he asked.

"She's doing fine," Mudpaw replied. "She gave them names: Dapplekit and Fernkit."

"What lovely names," Icestar murmured, then padded away.

Mudpaw looked toward the apprentice den. Maplepaw was glaring at her through narrowed eyes. Mudpaw glared right back, not flinching.

She wasn't going to let Maplepaw take her down, and she wasn't going to let him think that he could just take her father away from her.

~o~o~o~o~

"Hawkpaw! Tigerpaw!" The Clan cheered, welcoming the new apprentices.

One moon had passed since Dapplekit and Fernkit came to the Clan, and now Hawkkit and Tigerkit were apprentices, now known as Hawkpaw and Tigerpaw. Hawkpaw's mentor, Birdwing, was being warned that she'd have her paws full with Hawkpaw. "I can handle her," she would protest. Tigerpaw's mentor, Riverflower, was happy that she got her first apprentice.

Mudpaw was in the apprentice den, working on making a nest for their new denmates.

"Do you think they'll like their nests?" Rainpaw asked.

"Hopefully," Rockpaw mewed. "We did work pretty hard on them."

Morningpaw bounded into the apprentice den, excitement lighting her dark blue eyes.

"Guess what?" she meowed, hardly able to contain her excitement.

"What, did Icestar promise to make you deputy?" Silverpaw joked.

"No, mouse-brain!" Morningpaw replied. "We all get to go to the Gathering!"

All movement in the den stopped. Mudpaw broke the silence. "Are you serious?" she demanded. "All of the apprentices?"

"Yep!" Morningpaw squealed. "It's going to be some kind of special Gathering. All the apprentices from the Clans are going."

Mudpaw remembered the last Gathering that happened. She didn't get to go, but Rainpaw and Maplepaw went, and they said the leaders were planning something for the apprentices.

Nutwhisker poked his head into the den. "Mudpaw, can you clean out the elders' den? Dawnshadow said Silverpaw will help you."

Maplepaw snickered. Mudpaw flashed a glare at him. "Yes, Nutwhisker."

She and Silverpaw made their way to the elders' den, beneath a fallen tree trunk.

Skyfoot, a large gray tom, lifted his head. "Hello, Mudpaw! What brings you here?"

"We're going to clean out your nests," Mudpaw replied.

Blacktail and Sandpaw squeezed their way in.

"Grassnose, you said you had a tick?" Sandpaw mewed.

The pale brown elder lifted his head. "Yes, on my lower back," he rasped.

Sandpaw picked up a stick, a wad of moss dripping in mouse bile, and began to dab his fur with the moss. A few moments later, a tick dropped off.

"Much better," Grassnose mewed, falling asleep.

Mudpaw and Silverpaw began to exchange the old moss with new moss.

"This moss is wet," Skyfoot complained, dabbing at the moss Mudpaw had brought.

"Sorry, Skyfoot," Mudpaw mewed, dipping her head. "I go out and get somemore."

Mudpaw padded through the forest, alone, when she scented a strange scent... like the river and fish.

She padded towards the scent, and spotted a young brown and white tom, killing a shrew. On _her _territory.

"Thief!" she yowled, springing onto the intruder. They wrestled on the peaty earth for a while, when the intruder suddenly sprang off of her.

"I-I'm sorry!" he stammered. "I didn't think any of your Clan was here, so-"

"You didn't think at all, that's what you did!" Mudpaw snapped. "Do you think the warrior code is no big deal, or that you can just break it whenever you want?!"

The tom dipped his head, ashamed. "You can have the shrew. It would make me feel better."

Mudpaw's gaze softened. "It's okay, I guess. Thanks for the shrew."

As she picked it up, the tom turned around. "I'm Eaglepaw, by the way."

Mudpaw turned to glare at him, then dipped her head. "I'm Mudpaw."

She padded back into the forest, picking up the moss she had collected earlier along with the shrew.

_Stupid furball, _she thought. _Can't stick to his own territory. _

_Still, he was pretty handsome, _she shook the thought away. _He's from another Clan, you idiot!_

She walked to the elders' den, fixing Skyfoot's nest and giving him the shrew.

_Maybe I'll see Eaglepaw again at the Gathering..._ Mudpaw sighed.

"You're losing it, Mudpaw," she muttered to herself, padding back to the apprentices' den.

She settled down in her nest beside Silverpaw, and drifted into a deep sleep.

* * *

**I just wanted to thank Erin Hunteress for reminding me to put the cats names up. They're in the very first chapter (the prologue), so I suggest you take a look there. Thanks!**


	4. Chapter 3

**Mudpool's Path- Chapter 3**

Being an apprentice was harder than Mudpaw thought. She had to get up early every morning, either for a patrol, or to go hunting. She was constantly grouchy, snapping whenever any cat asked her too many questions.

It wasn't long before the Gathering rolled around, and every cat was gathered beneath the Highbranch, waiting for Icestar to annouce who would all be going.

"LeafClan, this is an important Gathering, especially for our apprentices," Icestar began. "So, I will be taking all the apprentices with me to the Gathering, as will the other leaders with their apprentices. The warriors I will be taking are Dawnshadow, Nutwhisker, Birdwing and Weaselfang. All the other warriors are to stay behind. I recommend that the elders stay behind as well."

The chosen cats left through the thorn tunnel, padding through the forest to the Great Maple, their Gathering place.

Blacktail and Sandpaw, who had recently earned his true medicine cat name Sandfur, were padding alongside Mudpaw. "How does it feel to be going to your first Gathering, Mudpaw?" Blacktail asked.

"Great," Mudpaw mewed. "I'm really looking forward to it."

"Mudpaw," Sandfur meowed. "Is something on your mind?"

In truth, that prophecy was still burned into Mudpaw's memory. It kept her awake at night, and she hadn't been able to sleep for the past few moons since she first had the dream.

"To be honest..." Mudpaw murmured. "Yes. But... It's kind of private."

"You can tell me," Sandfur reassured. "I'm a medicine cat."

Mudpaw thought for a moment. For a few heartbeats, she considered not telling him anything. But then she remembered that medicine cats get signs from StarClan all the time. _If I tell him, _she thought. _Maybe he can help me figure out what it means. _

She told Sandfur all about the prophecy, telling him that she needed to find four other cats to help her.

"I'm not too sure what it means," Sandfur mewed after she finished. "But I think it means you need to find four cats whom you've grown close to."

_Four cats... who I've grown close to..._ Mudpaw pondered the idea of it for a while, then shook her head.

"I think it'll come clear in time," she finally meowed. "Nothing comes all at once, right?"

Sandfur purred. "I guess not."

The Clan squeezed past a large jutting rock, which marked the border between ShadeClan and LeafClan. They continued to pad through a darker part of the forest, until they came to an enormous hollow. In the center of the hollow was an enormous maple tree, its bare branches glinting in the light of the full moon. In the hollow, the other three Clans were already gathered, chatting and murmuring.

LeafClan bounded into the hollow, the cats of the other three Clans looking up from their conversations. Icestar and Thrushflight made their way to the Great Maple, Icestar leaping up into the middle of the two tree branches. He sat down beside a large, muscular ginger tom, who shuffled to the side to make room for the LeafClan leader.

Nutwhisker nosed his apprentice towards a group of smaller cats. "Those are the apprentices," he meowed encouragingly. "Go on."

Mudpaw padded toward the group. "H-hello," she stuttered.

A silver tabby she-cat turned around to face her. "Hi!" she mewed. "I'm Wavepaw. What's your name?"

"Mudpaw," she meowed, straightening up. "I'm from LeafClan."

"I'm from MistClan," Wavepaw purred. "The apprentices from all the Clans are here."

A tortoiseshell she-cat with white paws and a black tail dipped her head. "I'm Mosspaw. I'm also from MistClan."

A pretty white she-cat with a brown spotted coat passed them. "Who's that?" Mudpaw asked to no one in particular.

"That's Sweetpaw," a light brown tabby she-cat replied. "She's the medicine cat apprentice of ShadeClan. She's anything but sweet when it comes to treating wounds, though!"

Sweetpaw turned around, her blue eyes glittering. "I heard that," she hissed.

The tabby ignored her. "I'm Ivypaw. This is my sister, Poppypaw, and my brother Snakepaw." She pointed with her tail to a reddish-ginger she-cat, and in turn a brown tabby tom.

"Is this your first Gathering?" Poppypaw asked politely.

"Yes," Mudpaw mewed. "My brother and sister are here as well." She pointed with her tail to Snowpaw and Silverpaw, who were standing beside their younger sister. The rest of the LeafClan apprentices made their way over to them. Mudpaw introduced the LeafClan apprentices to the rest of the group, purring when the other Clans introduced their apprentices.

The first Clan to introduce themselves was MistClan; There was Minnowpaw, a sleek black she-cat with blue eyes, Owlpaw, a broad-shouldered brown tabby tom, Squirrelpaw, a small long-haired brown she-cat, Stormpaw, a large dark gray tom, Duskpaw, a pretty black she-cat with yellow eyes, and of course Wavepaw, Mosspaw and Eaglepaw, whom she had met before the introduction.

The next Clan was ShadeClan; aside from Ivypaw, Poppypaw and Snakepaw, there wasn't many apprentices whom she hadn't met. Out of the apprentices she didn't know, there was Honeypaw, a pale ginger she-cat, Tanglepaw, a dark brown tabby tom with long claws, and Swiftpaw, a lithe gray and white she-cat.

Lastly came BreezeClan; Mudpaw didn't know any apprentices from BreezeClan, but there were many of them. There was Ashpaw, a light gray tom, Featherpaw, a very pale gray she-cat, Heatherpaw, a small gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes, Thunderpaw, a large, muscular gray tom with yellow eyes, Petalpaw, a cream tabby she-cat with green eyes, Dawnpaw, a cream she-cat with blue eyes **(Author's Note: Yes, Petalpaw and Dawnpaw are pretty much twins. Remember this difference!)**, Frostpaw, a white she-cat, and Seedpaw, a large brown tabby tom **(Author's Note: Ironically, seeds are small, and yet Seedpaw isn't small at all)**.

Maplepaw was astonished at the amount of apprentices at the Gathering. "You'd think the leaders are going to make us all warriors here tonight!" he exclaimed.

Mosspaw rolled her eyes. "They wouldn't make us warriors. We're too inexperienced, some more than others."

Mudpaw wondered what she meant by that. She was about to ask, when one of the leaders yowled out over the clearing.

"The Gathering is starting," Swiftpaw whispered.

Mudpaw didn't recognize any of the leaders. She leaned over to Mosspaw and whispered, "I don't know any of the leaders!"

Mosspaw whispered back, "The light brown tabby is Ivystar, MistClan's leader. But that's all I know."

Featherpaw leaned over. "The white tom is BreezeClan's leader, Cloudstar, and the ginger tom is Flamestar, ShadeClan's leader," she whispered.

"Thanks," Mudpaw mewed to them both, as Ivystar stepped forward.

"This past moon has been a blessing to MistClan," the tabby meowed. "The river has been full of fish since the snow melted, but it is with a heavy heart that I announce that one of our elders, Dustclaw, has passed away peacefully."

Murmurs spread throughout the whole clearing, all heavy with grief. Ivystar sat back down, allowing Cloudstar to speak for BreezeClan.

"BreezeClan has also been blessed with prey, and we have had the blessing of kits; our warrior Sandflower has given birth to two kits, Foxkit and Hollykit."

Mudpaw purred. It was nice to hear good news after hearing bad news.

Cloudstar sat down, Flamestar taking his place. "ShadeClan's prey is plentiful, but other than that we have no news to report."

Icestar nodded his head. "LeafClan as well has no news, but I'm sure the apprentices must be wondering why we invited all of them here."

The rather large group of apprentices murmured in agreement. Mudpaw's ears twitched. She, too, wondered why they had all been invited.

The leaders exchanged glances with one another, then Ivystar finally spoke. "We knew that all of the apprentices had been born around the same time, so we thought it would be amusing to have all the apprentices meet each other at the same Gathering."

"And since the hollow is now completely full, without room for even an ant to crawl around, we will probably never do this again," Flamestar mewed, a hint of amusement in his voice.

"If there is no more to report, then this Gathering is over," Icestar concluded, jumping down from the Great Maple. The other leaders followed, rounding up their Clans.

Mudpaw turned to Mosspaw. "Bye, Mosspaw," she mewed to her new friend.

"Bye Mudpaw," Mosspaw replied, turning and padding away with her Clan.

Mudpaw was about to follow her Clan out of the hollow, when she heard a cat calling her name. She padded quickly into the bushes, following the voice.

"Mudpaw! Over here!" a voice called in a hushed whisper.

Mudpaw peered into the darkness. "Eaglepaw?"

The brown and white tom padded forward. "Hi," he mewed. "Sorry I couldn't talk to you at the Gathering. I... kinda wanted to talk to you alone."

"That's okay," Mudpaw replied. "I wanted to talk to you, too."

The two apprentices stared at each other for a while, then Eaglepaw spoke. "Meet here tomorrow night? At the Great Maple?"

Mudpaw nodded. "Tomorrow night."

She padded out of the bushes. She was only halfway back to camp, when she stopped dead. A shadowy cat sprinted out in front of her. _How odd, _she thought.

She spotted a mouse in the bushes, pouncing and killing it with a swift bite to the throat. _I may as well have an excuse as for why I came back so late, _she thought.

When she padded into camp, everyone was frantic. Blacktail and Sandfur were darting back and forth between the medicine den and the nursery. Anxious mews were spreading through the clearing, and even Icestar looked nervous.

Mudpaw placed her mouse on the fresh-kill pile, then padded up to Silverpaw. "What's going on?" she asked.

Silverpaw looked at her, his green eyes clouded with worry. "Remember when Petalbloom moved to the nursery two sunrises ago? Because she was pregnant with Weaselfang's kits?"

Mudpaw remembered when Weaselfang begged for Petalbloom to stop her warrior activities and go to the nursery. She had been pregnant for a while, and doing her warrior duties wasn't helping her. Mudpaw swallowed nervously. "Yes?"

Silverpaw squeezed his eyes tight; For a moment, Mudpaw wondered if he was going to tell her what happened. Then, he reopened them. "Her kits are coming now. They're coming early."

"When were they supposed to come?" Mudpaw asked, now worried.

"They were supposed to come a half-moon from now. That's what Sandfur told me, at least. He's... not sure if she'll survive," Silverpaw replied. "What's worse, she got mysteriously wounded while we were away."

"How serious is the wound?"

Silverpaw looked away then, and Mudpaw was fearing the worst. She darted away from her brother and went to Sandfur, who was pacing outside the nursery.

"I heard what happened to Petalbloom," Mudpaw mewed. "I'm sorry."

Sandfur looked up. "I don't know what happened. She has a long, claw mark down her flank. Who would do such a thing?"

Mudpaw thought back to the cat who had gotten in her way when she was making her way back to camp. She thought in horror at the thought of a cat hurting an innocent queen, then shook the thought away. _That just can't be true, _she thought.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Mudpaw asked the medicine cat apprentice.

Sandfur shook his head. "Blacktail and I have tried everything. He's given her water, put cobwebs and marigold on her wound, but nothing is working. I've never felt... so useless..."

Mudpaw felt his sorrow. It must be hard taking care of a cat, then not be able to do anything else to help them.

Just then, Blacktail padded out of the nursery. "She gave birth to three kits. Only one survived," he mewed, his voice heavy with grief.

Weaselfang looked up. "What about Petalbloom?" he demanded.

Blacktail looked away, and Weaselfang looked up to the sky, yowling with grief. He collapsed onto the floor of the camp, and Thrushflight padded over to him.

"It's okay, Weaselfang," he soothed. "Don't forget, you have a new son to look after."

Weaselfang looked up. "There's... one kit left?"

Thrushflight nodded, and Weaselfang sped into the nursery. Mudpaw padded after him slowly, to see Featherflight nursing the tiny tom kit. Mudpaw remembered that Featherflight had been Petalbloom's sister.

"Don't worry," Featherflight mewed calmly. "He's fine."

"Can... can I name my only son?" Weaselfang asked. When Featherflight nodded, he nosed the tiny kit gently with his nose. "I think I'll call him Birchkit."

Mudpaw stared at the tiny tabby kit, happy that he had survived. Still, she looked over at Petalbloom's body, and took in the horrifying image.

Petalbloom's flank had a large claw mark running from her shoulder down to her back leg. Drying blood surrounded the area where the queen laid. Mudpaw felt dizzy, and ran out of the nursery, bumping into Hawkpaw.

"You saw Petalbloom, didn't you?" Hawkpaw asked, her eyes showing nothing but grief.

Mudpaw nodded. "I can't stand the sight and smell of blood. I couldn't stay in there any longer."

Hawkpaw nodded. "I understand."

Mudpaw leaned on Hawkpaw's shoulder. She felt light-headed, the image of Petalbloom still fresh in her mind.

"Come on," Hawkpaw nudged her. "Let's get to the apprentice den."

Hawkpaw and Mudpaw made their way to the den, settling into their nests. Silverpaw's flank rose and fell with every breath. He was fast asleep, despite what just happened. Mudpaw stared up at the sky.

_Take care of Petalbloom, StarClan, _Mudpaw prayed, then closed her eyes, welcoming the wave of sleep that took her over.

~o~o~o~o~

Mudpaw dreamed she was in the forest. She didn't know it was a dream, nor did she know why she was in here in the first place.

A shadow was approaching her. It was the shadow of a cat, with a menacing glare and sharp teeth. The clattering of bones filled the air as the shadow approached her. Mudpaw's heart was filled with fear. _What's happening? _she thought frantically.

Suddenly, sharp talons sank into her scruff, pulling her off the ground. Mudpaw looked up with alarm, and saw with horror that a hawk was carrying her off.

"No!" she screamed. "Let me go!"

The hawk flew towards the ground, dropping her on a large pile of moss. Mudpaw looked up at the hawk with confusion. _Why did it let me go? _ she wondered. _Why didn't it carry me away? _

The words of the prophecy rang in her ears again.

_The shadows of the past are threatening the Clans. The cats of mud, hawk, rock, rain and tiger must come together to defeat the impending darkness. _

Mudpaw woke up with a start. She noticed Hawkpaw staring at her intently.

"Something wrong, Mudpaw?" she asked, a worried look in her eyes.

"N-no, I'm okay," Mudpaw stammered, still startled by the dream.

Hawkpaw grinned. "Okay. Just tell me if something's on your mind." She turned and padded out of the den.

Mudpaw didn't know why, but a strange feeling came over her. Then, it hit her. The hawk in the dream... the hawk in the prophecy...

Mudpaw's mind finally pieced everything together. _Hawkpaw is the second cat in the prophecy! _she thought excitedly.

But then her hope faded. _I still need to find the next three cats. _Her ears drooped, and she padded out of the den. She wondered if she should tell Hawkpaw about the prophecy, but then she decided against it.

She would tell her when the time was right.

She would tell her when she found the rest of the cats in the prophecy.

* * *

**I just wanted to say if you need to see the list of cats, the list is posted in the Prologue. Thanks for reading! Keep your eyes out for Chapter 4!**


	5. Chapter 4

**This chapter isn't my greatest, I'll admit it XD**

**I don't own Warriors.**

* * *

**Mudpool's Path- Chapter 4**

Mudpaw bent down and touched her nose to Petalbloom's pelt. It was cold, and smelled of lavender, but beneath the scent was the smell of death.

"I'll miss you, Petalbloom," she murmured. She hadn't known Petalbloom well, but she knew that Petalbloom was one of the first cats to protest against allowing Fernkit and Dapplekit into the Clan.

_Hopefully she knows they'll be great warriors one day,_ Mudpaw thought.

"Mudpaw."

Mudpaw turned around to face her mentor.

"We'll be doing battle training today," he mewed. "Are you ready?"

Mudpaw nodded. "Of course I'm ready!"

Nutwhisker purred. "Then let's go."

The two of them padded through the forest, the earth beneath their paws still lightly coated with snow.

"It's supposed to be newleaf," Mudpaw suddenly meowed. "Why hasn't all the snow melted yet?"

"The snow takes its time, Mudpaw," Nutwhisker replied. "It's usually all melted by the next half-moon."

"Oh."

They continued to pad through the forest, until they reached a clearing with sand and soft grass covering the ground. They had reached the battle clearing.

"We're going to start with something easy: The front paw blow."

Nutwhisker demonstrated the move, jabbing at the air with his paw. "Now you try."

Mudpaw copied what her mentor had demonstrated.

"Very good," he mewed with approval. "Now I want you to attack me."

"What?" Mudpaw asked, alarmed.

"Don't worry," Nutwhisker purred. "You won't hurt me."

Mudpaw stood for a moment, then grinned. She crouched and sprang at Nutwhisker, her sheathed paws outstretched.

Nutwhisker evaded the attack by moving quickly to the side. Mudpaw landed on the soft dirt where he had stood.

"You need to be quicker. The enemy won't just wait for you to attack them."

Mudpaw tried again, this time crouching for a shorter time. She made a connection with his shoulders and threw her mentor onto the ground. The two of them wrestled for a little while, raking at each other's bellies with sheathed paws.

The two of them sprang away panting, then Nutwhisker looked up, amusement gleaming in his green eyes. "You did very well, Mudpaw," he gasped. "Want to try a leap-and-hold technique?"

Mudpaw cocked her head to the side. "Leap-and-hold?"

Nutwhisker nodded. "It's a technique small cats use when facing large opponents. I hope you don't mind my saying so, but you aren't exactly the biggest cat in the Clan."

Mudpaw's neck fur rose. She was just as good a fighter as any other cat!

Nutwhisker waved his tail in a friendly way. "Mudpaw, you have to understand that there are bigger cats than you out there. Remember Thunderpaw?"

Mudpaw thought back to the Gathering, the large gray tom who looked like a warrior with his size. She nodded.

"Well, if you meet him in battle, you'll need the leap-and-hold technique," her mentor meowed.

"Okay, I see now," Mudpaw mewed. "Teach me how to do it."

"Well, you must spring onto your opponent's back and grip with unsheathed claws. Once you get onto their back, you can rake your back claws across their spine or any other move you can think of that doesn't require you to use your front paws," Nutwhisker explained. "You can use your front paws, but you must be very skilled at holding onto a large enemy, especially when they're thrashing about trying to get you off. You must also be careful that they don't roll over and squash you like a flea. If that happens, you leap off their back as soon as possible."

Mudpaw's head spun. "How am I going to remember all that?"

Nutwhisker crouched, a playful gleam in his eyes. "Why don't we see if you can remember it all now?"

Mudpaw nodded. "With pleasure."

She sprung at Nutwhisker, clinging onto his pelt. She was careful not to hurt him as she churned her back paws against his spine. Nutwhisker reared up, attempting to roll over, and Mudpaw sprang off, landing on all fours nearby.

"How... did I do?" she panted.

"You did great," Nutwhisker meowed. "Let's get back to camp, and maybe we can hunt along the way."

The two cats returned to camp, catching a thrush and a mouse on their way back.

Mudpaw was tackled by two squirming balls of fluff. She purred and batted them away gently. Fernkit and Dapplekit stood up, shaking out their fluffy fur.

"Hi Mudpaw!" Fernkit squeaked. "Did you bring something back for me?"

"Can we have the mouse?" Dapplekit demanded.

Nutwhisker purred. "Yes, of course." He placed the mouse in front of the kits, and they dragged it back into the nursery.

"They sure are a lively bunch," Nutwhisker mewed.

Mudpaw purred in agreement. As their adoptive sister, she was determined to help teach them the ways of a Clan cat.

"Hi Mudpaw," a mew sounded from behind the brown she-cat.

Mudpaw turned around to see Hawkpaw.

"Hi Hawkpaw," she replied, remembering the prophecy at that moment. Then she thought about telling Hawkpaw the prophecy and how she was involved. Mudpaw nodded to herself.

"Can we go out of the camp for a little bit, Hawkpaw? There's something I want to tell you."

"Sure Mudpaw!" Hawkpaw answered eagerly.

The two she-cats padded over to a fern bush, shielded from view of the rest of the Clan.

"What did you want to tell me?" Hawkpaw asked.

Mudpaw told Hawkpaw about the prophecy she had recieved when she was five moons old, then told her about what Sandfur had told her, then finally recounted the nightmare she had last night in excrutiating detail.

"So... I'm a part of the prophecy?"

Mudpaw nodded. "And I have to find three more cats before it's too late!"

She then turned and padded out of the fern bush, Hawkpaw hot on her heels.

"Hold on, Mudpaw!" she called. "I can help you find the other three!"

Mudpaw spun around. "Can you? Because I haven't had much luck, and I'm the one who recieved this prophecy!" she hissed.

Hawkpaw narrowed her eyes into skinny blue slits. "Yes, I can help! Mudpaw, if you have another dream, you have to pay very close attention to what it's telling you! There might be a very important message in it!"

Mudpaw thought back to the first dream she had. "But I can't remember much else about that dream, other than the creepy sounds of bones clacking together, the shady cat, and then the hawk carrying me off!"

Hawkpaw leaned closer, so that all Mudpaw could see were her angry blue eyes. "I was talking about the next dream you might have!"

Mudpaw backed up, her tail between her legs and her ears flat. Hawkpaw was pretty scary when she was angry.

Hawkpaw flicked her ears. "Think about the prophecy. What did it say again?"

Mudpaw repeated the prophecy to her.

Hawkpaw closed her eyes for a moment. "Mud, hawk, rock, rain and tiger... I wonder what that means?"

Mudpaw shrugged. "Beats me. I've been trying to figure that out for several moons."

"Then we better figure out what it means," Hawkpaw meowed determinedly. "And fast. We don't know when this danger will strike, and if it's going to be soon, we have to be prepared."

Mudpaw nodded. "You're right."

~o~o~o~o~

"Psst... Eaglepaw? You here?"

It was moonhigh, and Mudpaw fulfilled her promise to meet Eaglepaw at the Great Maple.

"Mudpaw?"

The sleek brown and white tom padded out from behind the large tree. He purred and pressed his nose against Mudpaw's pelt. "I didn't think you would come."

"Of course I came," she purred, touching her nose to his. "I wouldn't break that promise."

The two cats shared tongues for a while, when Mudpaw got an idea.

"I'll race you to the top of the Great Maple!" she mewed, already making her way up the trunk.

"Hey! No fair!" Eaglepaw purred, chasing after her.

The two cats settled in between the branches, purring. They sat close together, their pelts touching.

Grayish-pink dawn light shone through the treetops.

"I'd better get back to my Clan," Mudpaw mewed.

"Me too," Eaglepaw meowed.

The two of them touched noses, then leaped down from the tree. As Mudpaw walked through the forest alone, she couldn't help but feel that it was wrong she was meeting up with Eaglepaw.

_It can't be that bad,_ she thought. _He's just another apprentice from another Clan. We're just really good friends, that's all._

She snuck back into the apprentices' den, settling into her nest.

_I'm not breaking the warrior code... am I? _

She shook her head, clearing her mind, then fell asleep.

~o~o~o~o~

Over the little while, Mudpaw had been meeting up with Eaglepaw at the Great Maple. They hunted together and shared tongues, and every day Mudpaw wondered if she really was breaking the warrior code.

_We're just really good friends,_ she told herself. _There's nothing wrong with that, right?_

"Mudpaw!"

Mudpaw snapped out her thoughts. She turned her head to see Rockpaw and Tigerpaw staring at her.

"What?" she asked.

"I said you seem kind of tense," Rockpaw meowed. "Is something wrong?"

Mudpaw shook her head. "Nope, I'm perfectly fine."

Rockpaw and Tigerpaw didn't look convinced. "You can tell us if something's wrong, you know," Tigerpaw insisted.

"I know, I know," Mudpaw muttered.

"Come on, let's go get something to eat," Rockpaw nudged her. "Some food in your stomach will do you good."

The three apprentices padded toward the fresh-kill pile where the other apprentices were assembled. Twistedfoot, a senior warrior, was also there.

"Hello, Rockpaw, Tigerpaw and Mudpaw," Twistedfoot addressed them. "The hunting patrol just got back. Help yourself."

Mudpaw picked a squirrel from the fresh-kill pile.

"I don't know how you can eat those," Rainpaw remarked. "The fur would give me a bellyache!"

"I try not to let the fur bug me too much," Mudpaw replied. "It's good even with the fur."

"Rainpaw, when do you think you're going to be a warrior?" Maplepaw asked. "Aren't you old enough?"

"I've only been an apprentice for four moons," she answered. "I don't think I'm old enough yet."

"Apprentices are usually at least 11 moons when they become warriors," Twistedfoot piped up. "But it doesn't matter how old you are. It's your mentor who decides when you have learned enough to become a warrior, and even then the leader must agree."

"That's true," Maplepaw meowed.

Mudpaw stifled a purr. Finally Maplepaw gets outsmarted.

Morningpaw got up and began to groom her gold and white fur. "It's been so peaceful lately," she mewed in her quiet voice. "I hope it lasts."

"Me too," Snowpaw replied. "Everything's much nicer when it's quiet."

Mudpaw got up and stretched. "I think I'm going to go to sleep for a little bit."

"But it's only sunhigh," Silverpaw remarked. "Shouldn't you be training with Nutwhisker?"

"He's out on border patrol," Mudpaw meowed. "He told me to stay here."

Twistedfoot rolled his eyes. "I'll have a word with him when he gets back. He shouldn't be leaving you in camp while he's out doing things you should also be doing."

Mudpaw padded into the den, settling into her soft nest, drifting off to sleep.

~o~o~o~o~

Mudpaw woke up, and soon realized she wasn't in the apprentices' den. She was somewhere in the hills, enormous boulders pointing out of the ground.

"Where am I?" Mudpaw asked herself.

At that moment, shadows began to creep out from behind the boulders. The hideous sound of bones clacking together filled the air.

Mudpaw's ears flattened against her head, and her tail flung between her legs.

The boulders began to tremble and the ground shook. The shadows were closing in on her.

Mudpaw had nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. It was all over.

The boulders soon toppled over, crushing the shadows beneath them. The ground stopped shaking, and the words of the prophecy once again filled the air.

_Find the cats!_ Panicked echoes filled the air. _Find them before it's too late! _

Mudpaw woke up with a start. She had only been asleep for a little while.

Hawkpaw once again stood over her.

"Another dream?" she asked.

Mudpaw nodded, still trembling. She began to lick her ruffled fur, telling Hawkpaw what happened in the dream between licks.

Her words were muffled, but Hawkpaw nodded. "Wait here."

The brown and white she-cat backed out the entrance, and when she came back, Rockpaw was beside her.

"What is it?" Rockpaw mewed. Hawkpaw briefly explained what had happened, and Rockpaw nodded.

"So now we know that Mudpaw needs to stop eating before she goes to sleep?"

Mudpaw rolled her eyes. Then something clicked in her mind. The dream she had involved boulders, which were basically big rocks...

"Hawkpaw! I got it!" she mewed excitedly.

"It's about time, too," Hawkpaw purred.

"What? What did you get?" Rockpaw demanded.

"Rockpaw, Hawkpaw and I are part of a prophecy," Mudpaw explained. "We don't know what it means, but it said something about mud, hawk, rock, rain and tiger. Hawkpaw and I might the mud and hawk, and you must be the rock!"

Rockpaw's eyes were filled with surprise. "Are you kidding? I can't be part of a prophecy!"

"It's hard to believe, Rockpaw, but it's true," Hawkpaw meowed calmly.

Rockpaw sat down. "This is unbelievable. How do you know it's me?"

"I just get the feeling that it's you," Mudpaw answered. "I asked Sandfur what the prophecy could mean, and he said it could mean that I have to find four cats who I've grown close to."

"Which would mean she has to find four cats whom she's bonded with," Hawkpaw finished.

"I know that!" Rockpaw snapped. "I'm just... having trouble processing things, that's all."

"It'll be hard," Hawkpaw meowed calmly. "But you'll get through it. We'll get through it together."

The three apprentices padded out of the den. The sun was beginning to set, signaling it would be almost time for the evening patrol to go out.

The thorn entrance rustled. The border patrol consisting of Streamtail, Nutwhisker and Thrushflight raced in.

"What's wrong, Thrushflight?" Icestar asked, worry lighting his gaze.

"You have to come to the border, Icestar," Thrushflight panted. "And quick! MistClan... have invaded our territory!"

* * *

**Yay! Cliffhangers! :D**

**But don't worry! Chapter 5 is up :)**


	6. Chapter 5

**Two chapters in one day! That's a new record! :D**

**I don't own Warriors. **

* * *

**Mudpool's Path- Chapter 5**

"What? Are you serious?" Icestar paced anxiously around the camp, and turned to face the patrol again. "How many cats are there?"

"It seems as if the whole of MistClan is there, except for the elders, kits and queens, of course," Thrushflight reported.

"This is terrible..." Icestar's voice trailed off, and he raced up the Highbranch, calling the Clan together.

"LeafClan, we have a serious problem on our paws," he began. "I need the warriors and apprentices to meet MistClan at the border. If we must, we will fight them. Blacktail and Sandfur, you must prepare healing herbs just in case it does come to a battle."

Icestar leaped down, and yowled to the warriors and apprentices. "I will need Cloudstorm, Nutwhisker, Dawnshadow, Nightclaw, Silverpaw and Mudpaw to come with me. I will also need Weaselfang if we need a fast cat to bring reinforcements."

The chosen cats raced out of the camp, the wind rustling through their fur. Mudpaw's heart was pounding in her chest. She had practiced battling skills with her mentor, but she was still nervous at the thought of being killed in battle. But more importantly, she thought of hurting Eaglepaw. He was her friend, and she didn't want him to get hurt.

When they arrived at the border, Ivystar's bright green eyes pierced through them. "Hello, Icestar."

Icestar nodded curtly. "Ivystar," his voice held all the cold of leaf-bare. "Why have you brought so many cats onto our territory?"

"The fish in the river won't be enough to support my Clan," she hissed. "We are taking territory which is rightfully ours. You can leave and let us have it, or you can fight for it."

Thrushflight narrowed his eyes. "We have more cats in our Clan than you do. We're not letting you prance in here like a bunch of Twolegs and do what you want. This is _our_ territory."

"I never said we came here alone. We have another Clan on our side."

Mudpaw's blood turned to ice as more cats fanned out from behind the MistClan leader, and she realized with horror that one of the cats was the leader of BreezeClan, Cloudstar.

"I asked Cloudstar to help reclaim our territory, and he agreed to help us," Ivystar meowed, her eyes glinting.

"You are a fool, Ivystar," Dawnshadow hissed. "This is our territory and you know it."

"Dawnshadow, you are sorely mistaken," Ivystar growled. "A long time ago, this was our territory. We simply let you borrow it. Now, we are taking it back."

"Cloudstar, how in the name of StarClan can you agree with any of this?" Nightclaw demanded. "Do you think MistClan will let you have some of their territory in exchange for ours?"

"No," Cloudstar snarled. "My Clan will help another Clan in danger, and it seems as though it is MistClan that is in danger. Your Clan seems as happy as a kit with its mother."

Several cats yowled their agreement, all from MistClan and BreezeClan.

"Well?" Ivystar mewed. "Will you surrender your territory to us?"

Icestar turned around, nodding to Weaselfang, a sign for the young warrior to fetch reinforcements. He turned back around, crouching into an attack stance. "I will never surrender my territory to you!"

With that, he leaped onto Ivystar, bowling her over and wrestling with her on the ground. The battle had begun, cats screeching and yowling.

Nutwhisker turned to face Mudpaw. "Go to ShadeClan!"

"What?" Mudpaw asked in astonishment.

"Don't question it!" Nutwhisker hissed. "Go to ShadeClan and ask them to help us!"

Mudpaw nodded quickly, and raced away into the dark pines of ShadeClan's territory.

"Stop her!" a cat yowled.

Mudpaw turned her head around to see four cats chasing her, and realized that one of them was Eaglepaw.

_Why is he chasing me? I thought we were friends!_

She ignored the thought. All she had to do was get to ShadeClan.

She heard the cats' paws thudding the ground behind her. She screeched in pain when claws met her tail, dragging her down.

She was pinned down, writhing, and a gray tom glared into her eyes. "We'll make sure you give up your territory."

The tom lifted his paw, about to slice her across the muzzle, when Mudpaw heard a yowl from somewhere in the woods.

The tom paused, his paw still lifted, and a cat sprang from the shadows. The cat lifted Mudpaw's attacker off of her, and snarled in his face. The tom sprang away and raced back the way he came, the other cats in hot pursuit.

Mudpaw got up, shaking out her ruffled fur.

"What are you doing on our territory?" the cat hissed. Mudpaw recognized Shadowfall, a ShadeClan warrior.

"I don't have time to explain!" Mudpaw mewed. "MistClan and BreezeClan have attacked us!"

Shadowfall raced away. "Follow me!" he yowled.

Racing after the black tom, Mudpaw arrived in a rock hollow, large holes in the walls of the hollow which were most likely caves for dens.

"Flamestar!" Shadowfall yowled. "Flamestar, where are you?"

A large ginger tom appeared in the entrance to one of the caves. "What is it, Shadowfall?"

"LeafClan has been attacked," Shadowfall explained. "This apprentice says that both MistClan and BreezeClan are on their territory."

"BreezeClan, eh?"

A voice sounded from behind the ShadeClan leader, and a pale gray tom with a skinny tail crept forward. "You mean the fox-hearts who claimed that after they help MistClan claim LeafClan's territory, they would work together to claim ours, as well?"

"Yes, Mousetail," Shadowfall meowed. "They are on LeafClan's territory."

Mudpaw kneaded the ground with impatience. "Can we move this along, please? My Clanmates might be dying as of now!"

Flamestar nodded. "You're right, Mudpaw. How many cats were there?"

"All of them, excluding the queens, kits, elders, and medicine cat."

Mousetail padded forward. "Shall we send all of our warriors and apprentices as well?"

Flamestar nodded. "Go get them."

Mousetail raced away, heading into one of the caves.

"Pineclaw! Leopardtail! Wildstorm! Talonstrike! Lilypetal! Mossfern! We need to go help LeafClan! Get the apprentices!"

The ShadeClan warriors padded out of the den, padding over to a smaller cave which Mudpaw guessed was the apprentices' den.

"Will you need healing herbs?" a voice called.

Mudpaw looked around to see Sweetpaw waving her tail.

"I think we'll be fine!" Mudpaw replied. Sweetpaw nodded briskly and retreated back into the medicine den.

Soon enough, Mudpaw was flanked by several ShadeClan cats, racing through the shadows into her territory. The sounds of battle echoed through the trees.

_Oh StarClan, please let my Clan be okay! _

Mudpaw and the ShadeClan cats burst throught the trees, racing along the border to the battle. Mudpaw stared in horror at the sight.

Blood was spattered across the ground, and many cats were limping.

A cat sprang onto her, tackling her to the ground. Looking into the eyes of her attacker, she saw with horror that it was Eaglepaw. She wrestled with him, rolling in the bloodstained ground, and pinning him onto his back.

"Traitor!" she hissed. "I thought we were friends!"

"I can't be with you like this anymore, Mudpaw," he shot back. "I want to be a loyal cat, no matter how much it hurts to part with you!"

"You think I don't feel bad? Every night I spent with you, I felt terrible! I felt like I was going against the warrior code!"

"You were!"

"Even so, you always acted like it was no big deal!" Mudpaw snarled as she dug her back claws into his belly fur. "You said that you would always be there for me! I guess I'm just a little play-thing for you, huh?! My feelings don't matter! It's only about you, you, you!"

She kicked him away, but not before she slashed her claws across his muzzle. "Get out of here!" she hissed. "It's done! We're over!"

Eaglepaw looked with fury in his gaze at her, and paced away into his own territory.

_I can't believe I ever loved him! _she thought angrily.

She looked up from her bloodstained paws and saw a small cat slinking into the undergrowth. She stalked after the shape, and realized it was Heatherpaw from BreezeClan.

The small she-cat spun around, and let out a ferocious hiss. "Come on, LeafClan scum!" she taunted. "Try and defeat me!"

"With pleasure!" Mudpaw howled as she sprang at the tiny apprentice.

A large paw knocked her away, pinning her on the ground. Mudpaw looked up and saw a large gray tom glaring at her. "Don't hurt my sister."

Mudpaw slithered away from the tom, realizing it was Thunderpaw. The large apprentice leaped at her again, ready to dig his claws into her flesh.

Mudpaw was fast, leaping out of the way in time to listen to him grunt as he landed hard on the earth. Mudpaw grabbed his back leg in her teeth, dragging him across the ground. Thunderpaw yowled and kicked his leg out, catching Mudpaw's muzzle causing her to let go.

She shook her head, dazed, and looked up in time to see him leap at her again. The large tom pinned her down, raking her belly with his back claws. She thrust her back legs into his stomach, launching him off of her.

She tried to remember what she had learned in the training sessions with Nutwhisker, then remembered. She crouched down, as though surrendering.

Thunderpaw yowled with triumph, and readied to spring at her again. Mudpaw leapt up, and attached herself to his back, clinging with unsheathed claws. The large tom thrashed, trying to dislodge her. But Mudpaw held on for dear life, and sank her teeth into his scruff, pulling back as hard as she could. Thunderpaw yowled and thrashed harder while Mudpaw dug her back claws into his spine. She tasted blood in her mouth and let go. She didn't want to kill him, just show him who's boss.

Thunderpaw reared up, and Mupaw sprang away in time to avoid being crushed beneath him. She slashed at his legs as he ran away into his own territory, Heatherpaw following behind.

Mudpaw sat up in triumph and raced back into battle to assist her Clanmates.

She spotted Rainpaw swatting at a MistClan tom, and raced to help her. Rainpaw nodded swiftly in thanks, and the two she-cats attacked the warrior, matching each other's moves perfectly. Mudpaw jerked back as unsheathed claws raked her muzzle, smelling her own blood.

Rainpaw swung at the warrior, catching the tom's ear. The warrior hissed and ran off.

"Thanks, Mudpaw," Rainpaw panted. "You did good."

"You too, Rainpaw," Mudpaw meowed.

Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Snowpaw and Silverpaw fighting side by side against Petalpaw and Dawnpaw, two BreezeClan apprentices. They seemed to be doing well, and didn't look as though Mudpaw's help was needed.

She spun her head around in time to see Squirrelpaw, Stormpaw and Duskpaw spring at her, all at the same time. She jumped out of the way, bumping into Ivypaw and Tanglepaw, two ShadeClan apprentices.

"Need some help?" Ivypaw asked.

"That would be great, thanks!" Mudpaw answered, as they faced the MistClan apprentices.

"Say your prayers," Tanglepaw taunted. "'Cause here we come!"

Mudpaw lept for Squirrelpaw, cuffing her around the ears. The apprentice hissed, and darted between Mudpaw's feet, nipping her legs and tail. Mudpaw lept up and pressed Squirrelpaw's muzzle into the soft dirt.

The apprentice fought for air, and sprung up, slashing at Mudpaw's ears before running away.

Mudpaw panted. "There's just no end to these guys!"

"You got that right!" Maplepaw wheezed, standing beside her. He was bleeding heavily from beneath his right eye, which was swollen.

"You should get back to camp and get that checked out, Maplepaw," Mudpaw advised. "You don't want to get more injured."

"I can make my own rules, thanks!" Maplepaw retorted, before heading back into the forest to the camp.

The brown she-cat rolled her eyes, and leapt at a mottled gray MistClan she-cat, slamming into her side. The warrior spun around, her eyes furious, and kicked her hind legs into Mudpaw's muzzle.

Mudpaw was sent sprawling back, and the she-cat slashed at her muzzle. Mudpaw was pinned down, the warrior digging at her soft belly with unsheathed claws. Blood sprayed the forest floor, and warrior lifted her paw, ready to strike a killing blow.

Just then, a familiar yowl sounded. "Paws off my daughter!"

The she-cat was flung off of Mudpaw, and the apprentice realized that her father was now sparring with the warrior.

The MistClan cat thrust her teeth into Thrushflight's throat, his blood leaking onto the ground.

"No!" Mudpaw yowled, tackling the she-cat with all her might. Thrushflight's body thudded to the ground, and he got up, sputtering and panting heavily.

"Come on," Mudpaw hissed. "I'm getting you to Blacktail."

Thrushflight and Mudpaw padded through the forest quickly, until her father collapsed onto the ground, wheezing.

"Just a bit farther," Mudpaw urged. "You can make it!"

"No, Mudpaw," her father gasped. "My time is now. I'm going to StarClan."

"Please..." Mudpaw begged.

"Mudpaw," Thrushflight mewed, his voice a little stronger. "I know about the prophecy you recieved."

Mudpaw was taken aback. "How?"

"I heard you speaking to Hawkpaw and Rockpaw earlier today about it... just before the battle started."

Thrushflight tried to sit up, only to lay back down on the ground.

"And I wanted to tell you... before I go to StarClan... that even after your mother and I stopped being mates... I never stopped loving either of you. I wanted to see you grow up into a fine warrior, and now I get to watch you from StarClan," he wheezed out a purr, his body shaking. "You will be a wonderful warrior, Mudpaw, and you will fulfill this prophecy."

"No... Daddy..." Mudpaw sobbed.

"Let me give you one piece of advice Mudpaw... before I go..."

Mudpaw leaned closer to hear her father. he straightened up, his voice stronger.

"Don't hesitate. When the time comes, just act."

With that, her father sighed, and with one final twitch, Thrushflight's body lay still, never to move again.

Mudpaw yowled in anguish, collapsing onto the ground beside her father.

"Why did you have to leave me... why?" she sobbed uncontrollably.

She got up, determination in her eyes. "I'm bringing you back to camp."

She grabbed Thrushflight's scruff, dragging him across the ground. She soon arrived in camp, placing his body in the middle of the camp.

Sandfur poked his head out of the medicine den, his eyes widening with horror. "Oh, Mudpaw..."

Maplepaw stepped out of the den as well, his flanks and eye covered in cobwebs. He limped over to his mentor's motionless body. He looked up at Mudpaw, sadness and anger swirling in his eye. "Why didn't you help him?" he hissed.

"I tried..." Mudpaw sighed. "But I was too late."

Maplepaw stared at her angrily for a moment longer, then sighed and pressed his flank against hers, wincing.

The two apprentices sat together, grieving for the cat who was so important in their lives. Mudpaw was slightly surprised that Maplepaw was being like this to her, but then realized it wouldn't last. _He'll be back to his old, annoying self in no time, _she thought.

Sandfur nudged her. "You should get your wounds treated, Mudpaw."

Mudpaw nodded slowly and limped into the medicine den, wincing as Sandfur applied poultices of marigold onto her wounds. She sat in silence, thinking of her dead father.

"Why did he have to die?" Mudpaw whimpered. "Why?"

"StarClan does these things for a reason," Sandfur replied calmly. "We may not know why they do these things, and we may think they hate us because of the things they do. But this was Thrushflight's destiny, and just think, if he didn't save you, it would've been you that had died."

_I would prefer that that had happened than this. _

Sandfur laid two poppy seeds down in front of her. "Eat these. They'll help you sleep."

Mudpaw did as instructed, her eyelids drooping. She didn't want to sleep, eat, or anything else. She just wanted her father to be with her, reassuring her that everything would be okay.

All she wanted was her daddy.

~o~o~o~o~

Mudpaw was suddenly awoken by the yowls of her Clanmates. She peered outside the medicine den to see Icestar leading his Clan back into camp. Several cats were wounded, and Twistedfoot appeared as though he could hardly walk.

The black warrior suddenly collapsed on his side, his blood oozing out onto the floor of the camp.

Sandfur and Blacktail raced out of the den, rushing to Twistedfoot's side. But Mudpaw already knew it would be too late.

She could only watch helplessly as Twistedfoot gave one final twitch before falling still.

Mudpaw lowered her head in sadness. Two wonderful warriors, both dead.

"We won."

Mudpaw looked up at the sound of Snowpaw's voice, triumph lighting her sister's gaze.

"But we lost our father," Mudpaw sighed.

Snowpaw's eyes widened, and she pressed her flank against Mudpaw's.

"He'll be okay," Snowpaw reassured her. "He's with Twistedfoot, in StarClan. They won't ever have to feel hungry or sick ever again."

Mudpaw sobbed. "I know."

* * *

**Yes, I realize the battle went by pretty quickly. I tried to make it as detailed and as long as I could handle, and personally I think this is my best chapter :)**

**Stay tuned for Mudpool's Path- Chapter 6!**


	7. Chapter 6

**Yay! Another Chapter!**

* * *

**Mudpool's Path- Chapter 6**

Mudpaw laid her head between her paws, shutting her eyes. She was still grieving for Thrushflight, who had died more than a moon ago now. She hated how her brother and sister acted as though nothing happened, as though it was alright that their father was gone now, as though a part of them didn't die along with him.

Icestar had made Dawnshadow the deputy, and he also took on Maplepaw as his apprentice, since Maplepaw's mentor was Thrushflight. Rainpaw had become a warrior, now Rainspots, and moved out of the apprentices' den. Blacktail retired, leaving Sandfur to be the full-time medicine cat and moving to the elders' den. Skyfoot, the oldest cat in the Clan, died from old age.

_It's almost as though StarClan doesn't want us to have such a large Clan, _Mudpaw thought.

"Mudpaw," a voice mewed, bringing her out of her thoughts.

Looking up, she saw Nutwhisker looking down on her.

"We're going on a border patrol. Volefur and Weaselfang are coming with us."

Mudpaw nodded, getting up and padding out of camp with her mentor. Weaselfang and Volefur were waiting just outside the entrance.

"Where are we headed?" Volefur inquired.

"I thought we could head for the MistClan border first," Nutwhisker meowed. "Ever since the battle, and the last Gathering, we haven't been able to trust them."

"Sounds good," Weaselfur mewed.

Mudpaw followed the three toms on the way to the border. Sniffing the air, she thought she had caught a whiff of rogue scent. She sniffed the air again. No sign of rogues.

_How odd. _

The ground underpaw began to get marshy, indicating they were almost at the border. A frog hopped past the patrol; Mudpaw sprang and caught it in her teeth, killing it.

"Good catch," Volefur commented. "Blacktail might like it."

Mudpaw purred, and continued after the others, who had met a MistClan patrol consisting of Reedstripe, Wavepaw and Eaglepaw. Mudpaw flattened her ears, and Eaglepaw did the same.

"Hello, Reedstripe," Nutwhisker meowed curtly.

"Nutwhisker," the tabby greeted curtly. "Our apprentices are now warriors, Wavestripe and Eagleclaw."

Wavestripe was about to mew a greeting to Mudpaw, when Reedstripe held his tail up for silence. "We've found a rogue on our territory."

"Oh? Is that what that stench on our territory was?" Volefur asked.

"Most likely," Reedstripe replied. "We've taken him in, and he became a warrior. His name is Ravensky now."

"I see," Nutwhisker mewed. "And you're telling us this because...?"

"I just wanted to report our news to you in person. Nothing wrong with that, is there?"

Weaselfang nudged Mudpaw. "He's telling us not to invade," he whispered, too quiet for any other cat to hear.

"How can you tell?" Mudpaw asked quietly.

"For starters, he told us that two of their apprentices are now warriors," he replied. "More warriors are a sign of strength. He's implying that the next time we meet in battle, we won't be so lucky."

"You can tell all that from what he said?"

"Sometimes you have to look between the lines, Mudpaw."

The two cats broke away from their conversation, looking up to see Reedstripe and Nutwhisker glaring at each other.

"If you're saying my Clan is weak, then why don't we just see right here and now who's stronger?" Nutwhisker challenged.

"It would be my pleasure," Reedstripe hissed, leaping at Mudpaw's mentor.

The two toms wrestled on the marshy earth, biting and kicking at each other.

"Reedstripe!" Wavestripe gasped, trying to pull the tabby away.

"Come on you two!" Volefur pleaded, yanking at Nutwhisker's scruff. "Knock it off!"

Mudpaw watched as Nutwhisker and Reedstripe were pulled away from each other, still swiping and reaching to attack the other.

"This is no way to behave!" Weaselfang scolded. "Especially when on a border patrol!"

"What's going on here?"

Mudpaw turned around to see Icestar padding towards them, fur bristling.

"Nutwhisker and Reedstripe got into a fight," Volefur mewed. "We had to break it up."

Icestar looked past the dark gray tabby and looked at Reedstripe. "Is what my warrior saying true?"

"Yes, Icestar," Reedstripe mewed, not flinching. "But Nutwhisker was the one who challenged me first."

"Liar!" Nutwhisker objected. "You provoked us in the first place!"

"Enough!" Icestar snarled. "Nutwhisker, this is no way to behave! You are one of my senior warriors, and you especially shouldn't be acting like this in front of your apprentice! Go back to camp at once!"

Nutwhisker flattened his ears, and followed the trail they had taken before back to camp.

Icestar turned to Reedstripe. "Get your Clan off my territory at once."

Reedstripe nodded curtly, beckoning to Wavestripe and Eagleclaw. Wavestripe flashed an apologetic glance at Mudpaw before following Reedstripe into their own territory.

Icestar turned to what remained of the patrol. "Carry on with your patrol. Nutwhisker will be back at camp."

The three cats nodded, and continued along the border.

"It's not like such a mature cat like Nutwhisker to lose his temper like that," Volefur remarked. "He's usually so calm."

"Well, he always was pretty cocky and immature as an apprentice," Weaselfang replied. "He still has some of that personality today. You just don't see it often."

"How do you know that?" Mudpaw asked, remembering these cats were younger than Nutwhisker. "You weren't apprentices when he was."

"Petalbloom and Twistedfoot always told us he was like that whenever we got in trouble as apprentices," Volefur meowed. "They said even the greatest warrior screws up sometimes."

"Nutwhisker made mistakes as an apprentice?"

"Oh yes! All apprentices make mistakes!"

Mudpaw remembered the time she had forgotten where she had buried her prey during leaf-bare, and she as punishment for not bringing her prey back she had to go without eating that night. She shuddered. She didn't like to talk about being that hungry. Other times she had messed up including passing over the ShadeClan border, forgetting to feed the elders, and forgetting to change the bedding in Nettlepelt and Featherflight's nests.

_I guess every apprentice does screw up now and then, _Mudpaw thought.

The three cats padded across the border, Volefur and Weaselfang remarking the boundaries.

"Well, it looks like we're finished here," Volefur mewed, then stared at the Twoleg path that marked the ShadeClan border. "I still find it weird that a Twoleg path just stops at that big rock at the very end."

"Maybe it went around the whole of ShadeClan territory before, then just wore out until grass grew over top of it," Weaselfang remarked. "Anyway, we should get back."

The patrol padded back to camp, Mudpaw still clutching the frog she caught earlier in her jaws. When they got back, the evening patrol consisting of Specklefur, Mosseyes and Cloudstorm were waiting for them.

"I hear you got into a little border skirmish," Specklefur purred.

"Nutwhisker did," Weaselfang replied. "By the way, where is he?"

"He's in the den moping," Cloudstorm mewed. "He's been like that since he got back. Icestar punished him by not letting him go on anymore border patrols for a moon."

"That's too bad. At least he can still train Mudpaw."

The evening patrol left, and Weaselfang turned to Mudpaw. "You can give that frog to Blacktail, then you can come to the nursery with me. I'm going to see the kits."

Mudpaw did as the warrior told her to do, padding into the elders' den. Grassnose and Blacktail were mewing quietly.

"You remember Shadowfoot, don't you? She was the cat who was exiled."

"I don't think any cat could forget her," Blacktail replied. "She even had her name changed before she left. She was Shadowheart when she left."

"I wonder if she's still alive..." Grassnose trailed off, then spotted Mudpaw. "Hello, Mudpaw. What brings you here?"

"I came to give this to Blacktail," she mewed dropping it at the former medicine cat's paws. "Volefur said you like frogs."

"That I do," Blacktail mewed, bending his head down to eat his meal.

Grassnose wrinkled his nose. "How in the name of StarClan can you eat those?"

Blacktail looked up. "I had them a lot when I was a kit," he rasped. "They say when you have a certain food when you're young, you grow to like it more when you get older."

Mudpaw padded out of the den, over to the exposed roots of a maple tree, which formed the nursery. She squeezed in through the entrance, nodding to Featherflight, and padded over to Nettlepelt.

"Hi Mudpaw," the queen purred. "How's your training going?"

"It's going well," Mudpaw answered.

Dapplekit and Fernkit scrabbled out of the mossy nest, pouncing on Mudpaw.

"Will you teach us some fighting moves?" Fernkit begged. "Pretty please?"

"No," Mudpaw mewed. "You're only four moons old. I can't teach you yet."

"You're no fun!" Dapplekit complained. "_Maplepaw _taught us some fighting moves yesterday, so why can't you?"

Mudpaw groaned. "Because Maplepaw doesn't know that he shouldn't be teaching little kits fighting moves."

Mudpaw looked up as Birchkit waddled uneasily over to Mudpaw. He looked up at Mudpaw. "You can teach _me _fighting moves though, right?" he squeaked.

Mudpaw purred, pressing her nose gently to the top of his head. "No. You're far too young and Weaselfang would have me for the fresh-kill pile if he saw me teaching you fighting moves."

Birchkit pouted, then turned to Weaselfang. "Why can't Mudpaw teach me anything?"

"You need to wait until you're an apprentice, Birchkit," Weaselfang replied. "You have a ways to go before you're six moons old!"

"No fair!" Birchkit padded back over to Featherflight.

A loud, grief-stricken yowl rang out across the clearing. Mudpaw padded out of the nursery to see Rainspots holding her muzzle to the sky, yowling.

"What's wrong, Rainspots?" Icestar raced out of his den, Dawnshadow following.

"The evening patrol just got back," Rainspots sobbed. "But... but..."

"But what?!" Icestar demanded. Rainspots pointed with her tail to what was laying in front of her. Mudpaw's eyes widened in horror.

A white tom lay in front of her, his pelt streaked with blood. His throat was completely torn, blood leaking out onto the floor of the camp. His head was twisted around in a sickening way that made Mudpaw want to puke. Large claw marks laced along his flank. Mudpaw realized with horror that it was Cloudstorm, Rainspots' old mentor.

"Who would do such a thing?" Dawnshadow rasped.

Specklefur and Mosseyes held their heads low in grief.

"We were just in the forest," Mosseyes began. "He heard something, and went back to find it. The next thing we knew there was this sickening yowl, and when we found him... he was already dead."

"We wanted to go with him," Specklefur added. "Just in case something like this happened. But he wouldn't let us."

Icestar pressed his nose to Cloudstorm's flank, sighing. "We'd better clean up his body. We need to prepare it for a vigil."

"Yes, Icestar."

The crowd broke up, and all that remained were Mudpaw and Rainspots.

"Rainspots... I'm so sorry."

"It's okay, Mudpaw... I'll get through it."

"I'm here if you need anything."

"I know," Rainspots mewed, leaning on Mudpaw's shoulder. "I know."

~o~o~o~o~

Mudpaw padded into the apprentices' den, where the rest of the apprentices were still awake.

"I can't believe it," Snowpaw fretted. "First Petalbloom, then Thrushflight and Twistedfoot, now Cloudstorm? What next?"

"This death streak will probably end soon," Silverpaw calmed his sister.

"But that's another cat who's dead!" Mudpaw gasped. "How many more do we have to lose?"

"You know what we could do?" Maplepaw chimed in.

"What?" All eyes were on Maplepaw.

"We could go out and find what's causing these deaths. Besides Thrushflight, Twistedfoot and Skyfoot, we don't know what's causing them."

"That might be the smartest idea you've ever come up with," Tigerpaw mewed. "Or maybe the only smart idea you've ever had."

Mudpaw stifled a _mrrow _of laughter.

"I'm serious," Maplepaw urged. "If we could go out and find what's causing all these deaths, we might be able to become warriors sooner!"

Morningpaw's ears perked up. "You mean it?"

"Hold on," Hawkpaw intervened. "Icestar isn't just going to make us all warriors because we killed what's been killing our Clanmates. We're too young to be warriors, well most of us, anyway."

"When I said 'we', I meant Rockpaw, Morningpaw and I."

Rockpaw shook her head slowly. "Hawkpaw still has a point, though. Sure we've had our warrior assessments, but if we go to find out who this murderer is, we'd probably get punished for going without a warrior's permission."

"I think it's a good idea," Snowpaw mewed. "Petalbloom and Cloudstorm's deaths have caused so much pain in the lives of other cats, so we should give this murderer a taste of their own medicine. I'm in."

"So am I," Mudpaw agreed.

"I'm not letting Mudpaw go alone," Silverpaw mewed.

Eventually, the other apprentices agreed.

"So when do we go?" Morningpaw asked.

"I was thinking now," Maplepaw replied, poking his head out of the den. Mudpaw looked where he was looking. Goldpetal and Mosseyes were guarding the entrance to the camp.

"We can't get out that way," Mudpaw whispered. "Your parents would see us."

"I know," Maplepaw replied. "We could escape out the back of the den, though."

"What are you talking about? We can't-"

Maplepaw pointed with his tail to a small hole in the back of the apprentices' den.

"Are we going to be able to fit through that?"

"Yeah. I've used it several times before."

One by one, the apprentices squeezed through the hole, appearing on the other side of the den.

"Now we just have to sneak through the forest without any cat hearing us," Maplepaw whispered.

"And just how do you think we're going to be able to do that?" Tigerpaw argued. "We're not ShadeClan!"

"If we can get as far from the camp as we can without leaving our territory, we should be able to get away without anyone being too close to hear us," Maplepaw answered.

The eight apprentices padded through the forest quietly, making sure not to step on any stray twigs or leaves.

"We're near the Twoleg nest," Maplepaw reported. "This is where Specklefur said they were during the evening patrol, just before Cloudstorm was attacked and killed."

Mudpaw sniffed the air. There was the scent of kittypets, but they were near a Twoleg nest, so that made sense.

Beside her, Rockpaw bristled.

"What's wrong?" Mudpaw asked.

"I can smell something that isn't kittypet," she hissed.

"Like?"

Suddenly, snarling sounded from behind the group of apprentices. They spun around, coming face-to-face with an enemy none of them had ever been prepared to face before, an enemy they had never even seen before.

Mudpaw's eyes widened. _Fox!_

* * *

**Bwahaha! More cliffhangers. But again, the next chapter is out. Don't you just love me for that? XD**


	8. Chapter 7

**Aaaand here's the next chapter :D**

* * *

**Mudpool's Path- Chapter 7**

"Quick! Everyone follow me!"

Mudpaw spun around to see Rockpaw darting into the forest, Maplepaw and the rest of the apprentices hot on her heels.

Mudpaw sped after them, feeling the fox's jaws snap where her tail was.

"We can't lure the fox into camp," Mudpaw panted to Maplepaw. "We'd only be putting more cats in danger!"

"Then let's set this fox straight!" Maplepaw skidded to a halt and turned to face the fox, teeth bared. "You want a piece of me?"

"Maplepaw, what in the name of StarClan are you doing?!" Morningpaw ran to his side, gasping.

"We need to defeat this fox!"

"Are you insane?!" Mudpaw hissed. "A few apprentices can't take on a full grown fox!"

"We have no choice!" Maplepaw growled. "We have to fight it!"

The other apprentices appeared at his side, their fur bristling and their teeth bared.

"Sometimes I worry about you, Maplepaw," Silverpaw meowed.

The fox bared its teeth and snarled, its eyes flicking from one apprentice to the other. They finally settled on Morningpaw.

The gold and white she-cat leapt and gripped the fox's back with her claws, digging at its spine with her back legs.

"Don't get too cocky, Morningpaw!" Hawkpaw called, then nipped at the fox's legs. It snarled, and kicked the young apprentice away.

Mudpaw decided it was time to make her move. She dove under the fox's belly, slashing at it with her front claws. She raced out in time to avoid being squashed beneath it. The fox snarled and lashed out with a claw, which caught Mudpaw's flank. She screeched, and lashed out with her front paw and connected with the fox's muzzle.

"Be careful, Mudpaw!" Silverpaw yowled. "You don't want to get bitten!"

"Oh, you think I _want _to be killed today?" she asked sarcastically.

Maplepaw leapt and yowled a battle cry.

"Everyone! Attack!"

The apprentices all leapt onto the fox at the same time. It squirmed and kicked beneath them, but it was growing weaker as Maplepaw bit into the back of its throat.

It struggled to get away, but soon gave one final twitch, and fell still.

The apprentices hobbled off the body. They hadn't gotten away without wounds, though. Hawkpaw was limping from being kicked, Maplepaw's ear was bleeding, and Mudpaw's flank had been scratched.

"We... did it," Tigerpaw wheezed.

"Yeah..." Snowpaw meowed. "I guess we did."

"We did alright for a few apprentices," Silverpaw added.

The pounding of many paws sounded from behind them. Mudpaw spun around to see the Clan racing towards them.

_Oh great, here it comes..._

The apprentices' mentors, Nutwhisker, Mosseyes, Nightclaw, Birdwing, Dawnshadow, Volefur, Riverflower and Icestar were racing towards them.

"The fox might not have killed us," Snowpaw whispered. "But our mentors probably will."

Riverflower nosed Tigerpaw, checking for any wounds, with Volefur and Birdwing doing the same with their apprentices. Mudpaw was caught by surprise when Nutwhisker started sniffing the top of her head.

"Where have you been?!" the gray and white tom growled. "You should be back in your den sleeping!"

"What in the name of StarClan were you thinking?!" Birdwing scolded. "You could've been killed!"

"You should be ashamed of yourselves!" Mosseyes snarled. "Sneaking out in the middle of the night!"

"Whose mouse-brained idea was this?!" Icestar yowled over the commotion. The apprentices laid their eyes on Maplepaw. He looked uneasily from cat to cat, then sighed.

"Okay, it was my idea," he groaned.

Mosseyes looked furious. "My own son... sneaking out at moonhigh only to get chased by a fox?!"

"We weren't just being chased by it," Morningpaw protested. "We killed it."

The warriors gasped, and Icestar stepped forward. "You mean to tell me you all killed a fox by yourselves?!"

Mudpaw nodded. "That's about it in a nutshell."

Icestar paced back and forth, then turned to face them. "I don't know whether I should be disappointed that you left camp without your mentor's permission, or pleased that you killed such a threat to the forest. Either way, you're coming back to camp. _Now_."

The group trekked through the forest back to camp. Nutwhisker padded beside Mudpaw, his fur bristling.

"I am so disappointed in you, Mudpaw," Nutwhisker growled. "I'm not taking you out hunting tomorrow, nor am I going to teach you any fighting skills. You'll be staying in camp for quite a while."

"What?" Mudpaw gasped. "But you can't do that!"

"I can, and I have."

Nutwhisker padded ahead, not looking back. Mudpaw sighed. If she had stayed in camp instead of go with Maplepaw and the others, none of this would've happened. She looked around at the other apprentices. Maplepaw looked especially disappointed, his tail and ears drooping.

_Poor guy, _Mudpaw thought. _All he wanted to do was help the Clan, and he ends up being punished for it. _

When they reached the camp, Nettlepelt was racing towards Mudpaw, Silverpaw and Snowpaw.

"Mouse-dung," Silverpaw muttered.

"My kits!" Nettlepelt covered them with licks. "Are you all right? The camp was in a panic because of you!"

Mudpaw flinched. The whole Clan was worried about them?

Mudpaw watched as their mentors made their way back to their dens, their tails flicking angrily.

"I'm sorry," Mudpaw murmured.

"Sorry," Silverpaw echoed. Snowpaw nodded her head in agreement.

"You should be," Nettlepelt scolded, then her eyes softened. "I'm just glad you're all okay."

Mudpaw shook her head. "We don't deserve any sympathy."

Nettlepelt licked the top of her head. "Go see Sandfur and have him take care of that wound."

Mudpaw suddenly remembered the wound on her flank, and winced. She made her way to the medicine den, where Sandfur was still awake.

He gestured for her to lie down on one of the mossy nests, and he began to chew up marigold into a poultice. He spat the marigold onto her flank, making her wince.

He placed cobwebs onto the wound, and placed a wad of water-soaked moss in front of her.

"Drink," he mewed flatly.

_Everyone in the Clan is mad at us, _Mudpaw thought sadly. She lapped at the dripping wad of moss in front of her, welcoming the cool liquid flowing through her.

She closed her eyes, beginning to fall asleep.

When she opened her eyes again, she found herself in a dark forest, darker than it was that night.

"It must be heartbreaking to be losing everything."

Mudpaw spun around and saw a shadow padding towards her. She could hardly see it, but the clacking on bones filled the air once again.

"First you lose your father, then you lose the love of your Clanmates," the voice sounded distorted, almost as though two voices were speaking at once. "I know how that feels, my dear."

"W-who are you?!" Mudpaw stammered. The shadow crept closer.

"You'll know soon enough, dear," the shadow spoke. "I hope you'll join me in sadness."

"What in the name of StarClan are you talking about?!" Mudpaw glared. "Tell me who you are!"

"StarClan? How cute," the shadow bared its teeth, which was all Mudpaw could see of the actual cat. Mudpaw stepped back, her tail between her legs.

"Go away!" she snarled. "I don't need you!"

"Oh don't be scared," the cat soothed, its voice smooth as honey. "You'll feel uncomfortable at first with me, but you'll soon get used to it. Soon you'll just _love _the feeling of darkness in your veins, the feeling of ice in your heart."

The shadow crept closer still, but suddenly rain poured down from the sky. Mudpaw ducked from the rain, knowing it wouldn't help, but she soon realized she couldn't feel the icy drops on her fur. Looking up, she realized it was pouring onto the shadow. It screeched, and fled.

The rain stopped, and Mudpaw watched the darkness turn to light, and she saw she was in StarClan's hunting grounds.

"Mudpaw."

Mudpaw turned to see several cats padding towards her. She gasped as she recognized Cloudstorm, Twistedfoot, Thrushflight and Petalbloom. Shimmerheart was with them as well.

"I thought the sign was clear," Cloudstorm murmured. "Remember the rain?"

Mudpaw thought, and suddenly realized just how important that rain was.

"The next cat is...?"

"Yes," Thrushflight purred. "That's who the next cat is."

"But... none of the warriors will talk to me. How can I tell her?"

"Don't worry, little one," Petalbloom mewed, stepping aside. "She's here with you."

"What are you-"

Mudpaw jumped back in fright as she realized another cat was standing beside her.

"Hey," Rainspots meowed. "How's it going?"

"How long have you known about the prophecy?" Mudpaw asked.

"Not long," Rainspots replied. "I only just learned about it while you were in that dark forest."

"That reminds me... who was that cat I met there?" Mudpaw turned to the StarClan cats, who exchanged glances.

"We can't tell you just yet," Shimmerheart answered. "You'll find out who that was soon enough."

"Why can't you tell me who it was?" the brown she-cat demanded.

"Because you haven't found all the cats in the prophecy," Twistedfoot meowed simply. "Until you've found the last cat, why not look around for clues as to who that cat was?"

"Clues? What are you-"

The StarClan cats began to fade, as well as Rainspots.

"Wait!" she called. "Who's the last cat?"

Mudpaw's eyes suddenly snapped open. She groaned, pressing her face into the mossy bedding of the nest in the medicine den.

"Oh calm down," Sandfur mewed. "The herbs I gave you weren't that bad."

Mudpaw looked at him with disbelief. "You gave me herbs while I was asleep?"

The medicine cat shrugged. "I know you hate having herbs. Remember when you were on your way to the Moonhill two moons ago?"

Mudpaw remembered when she refused to eat the herbs on their way to the Moonhill.

"I figured if I gave them to you while you were asleep, there'd be no problem," Sandfur continued. "I guess I was wrong."

Mudpaw sighed, and began to stretch. The wound wasn't as sore as it used to be, so she could walk around well enough. She padded out into the camp.

Gray clouds hung high in the sky, blue peeking out in tiny gaps between them. Mudpaw spotted the apprentices and made her way over to them.

"Our mentors are still mad at us, aren't they?" she asked.

"Yeah," Rockpaw sighed. "But Icestar seemed impressed. As it turns out, there were clumps of what looked like fox fur in Petalbloom and Cloudstorm's claws, before they were buried."

"So does that mean..."

"Yes," Morningpaw replied, a hint of excitement in her voice. "We caught the murderer!"

"I'm quite proud of you apprentices."

Mudpaw turned around to see Icestar and Dawnshadow, their tails waving contentedly.

"Although you went out of camp without our permission," the gray tom continued. "You did good by getting rid of the thing that was killing us all off."

"In fact," Dawnshadow added. "I think it's time for a couple of apprentices to get their warrior names. Maplepaw, Morningpaw and Rockpaw, we'll assess your skills immediately, and when we get back, you'll be made warriors."

The three chosen apprentices jumped up, purring and exchanging excited glances.

"The rest of the apprentices will have to wait for when they can become warriors," Icestar mewed.

Snowpaw nodded. "Understood, Icestar."

"Good luck," Mudpaw whispered to Rockpaw.

"Thanks."

Maplepaw, Morningpaw and Rockpaw left with their mentors out the thorn tunnel, leaving Mudpaw with Hawkpaw, Tigerpaw and her brother and sister.

"Hey, Hawkpaw, can you come here for a sec?" Mudpaw beckoned to the brown and white she-cat with her tail.

"Sure, Mudpaw."

The two of them retreated into a small secluded area behind the apprentices' den.

"I found the next cat in the prophecy!" Mudpaw mewed excitedly.

"Who is it?" Hawkpaw asked, leaning forward.

"It's Rainspots. I had a dream last night, and she was in it. The StarClan cats even told me."

"Should we tell her?"

"She already knows," Mudpaw replied. "We just have to tell Rockpaw when she gets back."

"How many more cats are left in the prophecy?" Hawkpaw inquired.

"I think there's just one more left."

The two sat in silence, then Hawkpaw groaned. "We're never going to find the last cat just standing around!"

"I know! I need a little time to figure this out..."

"But there isn't much time left!" Hawkpaw exclaimed. "Who knows when this disaster is going to strike!"

"Keep your voice down!" Mudpaw hissed. "Do you want everyone to find out about the prophecy?"

Hawkpaw shook her head. "Sorry. This is just so stressful!"

"We'll find out who the last cat is soon enough," Mudpaw calmed her. "We just need to be patient, and have faith in ourselves."

~o~o~o~o~

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Highbranch for a Clan meeting!" Icestar yowled.

The cats of LeafClan gathered beneath the large branch, mewing with excitement. Maplepaw, Rockpaw and Morningpaw all sat together, their coats groomed and shining in the sun. The clouds had cleared in time for the ceremony.

"It's almost time," Mudpaw whispered to Tigerpaw excitedly.

"Soon, it'll be our turn!" she replied.

Icestar waited for the chatter to quiet down, and he raised his head.

"I, Icestar, leader of LeafClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon these three apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the words of the warrior code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn."

Maplepaw, Morningpaw and Rockpaw turned to face Icestar, their heads held high.

"Maplepaw, Morningpaw and Rockpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your lives?"

"I do," the three cats mewed in unison.

"Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your warrior names." He jumped off the Highbranch, standing by Rockpaw's side. "Rockpaw, from this moment you shall be known as Rockpool. StarClan honors your kindness and bravery." He rested his muzzle on Rockpool's head, who in turn gave his shoulder a respectful lick.

Morningpaw padded forward.

"Morningpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Morninglight. StarClan honors your independence and skill." Morninglight licked her leader's shoulder, and he padded over to Maplepaw.

"Maplepaw, from this moment you will be known as Maplefrost. StarClan honors your wisdom and courage."

The three new warriors turned to face their Clanmates, determination and happiness mingling in their eyes.

"Maplefrost! Morninglight! Rockpool!" The Clan raised their voices, and padded over to congradulate the new warriors. Rainspots circled them, happy to be back with the cats she spent her apprenticeship with. Volefur licked the top of Morninglight's head, and Nightclaw was purring and murmuring proudly to her. Maplefrost's parents padded over and covered him head to toe in licks.

Mudpaw grinned, and spotted Nutwhisker sitting at the edge of the crowd, pride for the new warriors in his eyes. _Now's my chance to apologize. _

Mudpaw padded over to him. "Nutwhisker?"

The gray and white warrior looked at her, his eyes not giving away any emotion.

"I... I just wanted to say I'm sorry, for disobeying you and the rest of the Clan by leaving in the middle of the night. I just wanted to-"

"It's okay," he interrupted, his eyes warm. "I understand how you feel. You're still not leaving camp, but at least we're stuck here together."

Mudpaw remembered her mentor's punishment, and purred. "Does that mean you forgive me?"

Nutwhisker nodded. "Yes, Mudpaw. I forgive you."

Mudpaw sat beside her mentor, their pelts touching, and continued to congradulate the new warriors.

But something inside her didn't feel right. They may have killed the fox, which may have seemed to be the murderer, but somehow Mudpaw could tell this was just the beginning.

* * *

**Alright, I won't be working on this story or Star Fox: Outlander as much as I want to anymore, since I'll be starting my freshman year in high school. I'll try to work on both stories as much as I can, but for now, please be patient. Thanks!**


	9. Chapter 8

**Sorry for the long wait! Of course, this wasn't exactly my favourite chapter to write... but enjoy anyway!**

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**Mudpool's Path- Chapter 8**

Mudpaw lifted her head and gazed at the full moon, which was quickly rising in the sky. Tonight was the Gathering, and since she was no longer being punished by Nutwhisker, and he was no longer being punished, they both got to go.

"It's such a beautiful night," Mudpaw mewed.

"It's the perfect night for a Gathering, that's for sure," Rockpool replied.

"Blacktail has always said that greenleaf brings lovely nights," Sandfur added.

Mudpaw turned to the medicine cat. "Do you miss him working with you sometimes?"

Sandfur shrugged. "Yes, but it feels good to know that I can work without his help."

Icestar and Dawnshadow padded to the front of the assembled cats who would go to the Gathering, which consisted of Nutwhisker, Birdwing, Hawkpaw, Silverpaw, Rockpool, Maplefrost and Mudpaw.

"We'd best get a move on," Icestar remarked. "If we don't leave soon, the other Clans will start without us."

The LeafClan cats moved quickly through the forest, their paws skimming over the undergrowth. Icestar suddenly stopped at the Twoleg path, ducking behind a bush.

Mudpaw squeaked with surprise when Nutwhisker took her by the scruff and hid her behind a tree.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Shh," Nutwhisker pointed with his tail toward the path. "Look."

Mudpaw's eyes followed where he was pointing, and she spotted a tall pink creature, with a small amount of fur on the top of his head. On the end of a long tendril was a dog.

"What's that?" Mudpaw whispered.

"It's a Twoleg," Nutwhisker mewed. "They don't mean any harm, but their dogs can be quite a nuisance."

When the coast was clear, the Clan padded past the border, the Great Maple coming into view.

"Do you think MistClan will have calmed down since the last Gathering?" Maplefrost asked.

"Hopefully," Rockpool meowed. "Otherwise, we'll have to steer clear of them here."

They bounded into the hollow, the once-soft murmurs of the other cats becoming louder. Mudpaw looked over to a group of MistClan and ShadeClan warriors, spotting Mosspaw.

"I'll be over there," Mudpaw told her mentor.

Nutwhisker narrowed his eyes. "Be careful, Mudpaw. We still don't know if they're ready to forgive us yet."

The apprentice rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I'll be careful."

She padded over to the group, her tail held high.

"Hi, Mosspaw."

The tortoise-shell she-cat turned around. "My name's Mossnose now!"

Mudpaw's eyes brightened. "You're a warrior now? Congradulations!"

Mossnose purred. "Not just me. Squirrelpaw, Stormpaw and Duskpaw, who are my littermates, are warriors too. They're Squirreltail, Stormcloud and Duskflower now."

The cats she had mentionned all padded over. "Have you gotten your warrior name yet?" Squirreltail asked.

Mudpaw shook her head. "But Rockpaw, Morningpaw and Maplepaw did."

"Good for them," Duskflower purred. "Apparently Sweetpaw got her full medicine cat name."

The white and brown spotted she-cat turned at the sound of her name. "It's true! Now my name is Sweetberry."

"Too bad the berries we use for medicine are anything but sweet."

A handsome black tom had suddenly appeared at Mossnose's side.

"This is Ravensky," Mossnose mewed. "He's the rogue that joined MistClan."

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you," Ravensky meowed politely.

"As with you," Mudpaw replied.

"So this is the rogue?" Thunderpaw and Heatherpaw from BreezeClan had come over to join them.

"Yes," Mossnose replied. "Didn't some cat say you two also got your warrior names?"

Heatherpaw nodded. "Heatherfoot and Thunderstep."

One of the ShadeClan warriors hissed. "Quiet down! The Gathering's about to start!"

Mudpaw looked up to the Great Maple, and saw that Icestar would be speaking first. The gray tom cleared his throat, and began to speak.

"Recently we lost our warrior, Cloudstorm, as he was brutally murdered near the Twoleg nest on our territory. But our brave apprentices killed the fox we suspect is the murderer, before any more cats could be killed. As a result of that, Rockpool, Morninglight and Maplefrost have recieved their warrior names."

The gathered cats cheered the names of the new warriors. Rockpool and Maplefrost held their heads high, and Mudpaw guessed that if Morninglight were here, she'd have done the same.

As the cheering quieted down, Icestar motioned for Ivystar to step forward.

"We thank your apprentices for killing the vile beast that murdered your warrior," the tabby she-cat began. "As for MistClan, we have accepted a rogue into our Clan who agrees to be bound by the warrior code. May I present to you, Ravensky."

The black tom dipped his head courteously as the assembled cats turned to stare at him.

"In other news, we have lost two warriors, Boulderstep and Sunfur, who we speculate may have been murdered by the fox LeafClan mentioned. The good news is, we have four apprentices who have recieved their warrior names, Mossnose, Squirreltail, Stormcloud and Duskflower."

Ivystar stepped back as Flamestar stepped forward.

"ShadeClan as well has lost a warrior. We grieve for Wildstorm, who died of a sickness that would not respond to Smokeshadow and Sweetberry's herbs."

The cats dipped their heads in a moment of silence, but their reactions changed to happiness when it was announced that three apprentices had been made warriors, who were now known as Ivyheart, Snakefang and Poppypetal.

Cloudstar made his announcements, that BreezeClan had also lost some cats, two of which Mudpaw had never met before, named Loudheart and Ashpaw, but Featherpaw was made a warrior, now known as Featherheart.

"This is strange," Mudpaw murmured. "We killed the murderer didn't we? Why are more cats dying all of a sudden?"

Rockpool shrugged. "Maybe they're just dying of sickness of something."

Mudpaw couldn't do anything but pray she was right.

Icestar and the rest of the leaders jumped down from the Great Maple, calling their cats together to leave.

"Bye Mossnose!" Mudpaw called after her friend.

"Bye!" Mossnose ran up to pad beside Ravensky back to camp.

Mudpaw caught up with Rockpool and Hawkpaw.

"Rockpool and I were talking about how strange it is that cats are still dying one after the other, even though we killed the murderer," Mudpaw mentioned.

Hawkpaw turned to face her. "I was just thinking about that. What if... what if that fox wasn't the murderer?"

Mudpaw's heart almost stopped. "What do you mean?"

"What if it was a rogue that killed them all?"

Rockpool stared at her in disbelief. "Are you thinking..."

Hawkpaw nodded. "Maybe it's Ravensky who's the murderer. I don't exactly trust him."

Mudpaw shook her head. "It's not Ravensky. It's not a rogue," she tried to convince them. "The fox was the murderer, and we killed it. Problem solved."

"No, problem not solved," Hawkpaw retorted. "We can't trust rogues."

"Dapplekit and Fernkit were once rogues. Do you trust them?" Mudpaw demanded.

"That's different," Rockpool mewed. "They're only kits. Besides, the prophecy still hasn't been fulfilled-"

Mudpaw snarled. "Can't we have one second without mentioning the stupid prophecy?!"

She stormed away from them, padding beside Silverpaw.

"What's up?" the silver tom mewed.

"I'm tired," she replied, leaning on his shoulder for support.

The cats entered the camp, and Mudpaw padded toward the apprentices' den.

Tigerpaw and Snowpaw were still awake.

"How was the Gathering?" Snowpaw asked.

"Ask Silverpaw," Mudpaw grumbled, curling into her nest as she drifted off to sleep.

~o~o~o~o~

The days went by slowly, as they always did in greenleaf. The days had been hot, but there was so much shade, many of the cats hardly noticed.

Nothing much in the way of exciting happened, except that Snowpaw and Silverpaw got their warrior names before she did. Now they were known as Snowstorm and Silverclaw.

_It's not fair _she thought angrily. _Why couldn't I have become a warrior with them? Why do they get to be warriors first? _

"Hey, Mudpaw!"

The apprentice broke out of her thoughts as Dapplekit ran up to her. "Are you going to toss the moss ball anytime soon?"

Mudpaw remembered the game she was playing with the kits, and batted the ball away for them to catch it.

She watched as Featherflight and Weaselfang brought Birchkit out of the nursery. The tabby kit spotted a butterfly, and ran off to chase it.

_He's such a cute kit, _Mudpaw thought. _I wonder if I'll have any kits of my own one day?_

She shook her head. _I'm going to be a warrior, not a queen!_

Mudpaw looked around the camp. Icestar was chatting with Riverflower and Streamtail, Hawkpaw and Tigerpaw were coming back from hunting with fresh-kill, and the elders were sharing tongues outside their den.

_It's been so peaceful since that fox was killed. I hope it'll always be like this. _

Dapplekit and Fernkit bounded over to Mudpaw.

"Can you take us to the river?" Dapplekit asked.

"Yeah! Please?" Fernkit begged.

Mudpaw shook her head. "I can't take you out until you're apprentices."

Dapplekit sat up indignantly. "Icestar won't mind! He let Rainspots out of camp when she was a kit."

"That's because Rainspots is his daughter," Mudpaw reminded them. "Then again, you two are going to be apprentices soon..."

She looked over at Icestar, who was nodding.

"But not to the river," he called. "You can take them as far as the pine trees on our side of the border, but no farther than that."

Mudpaw looked back at the kits. "Follow me. Don't go ahead of me, and stay close behind."

The two of them nodded, and followed her out of camp.

Dragonflies hummed above their heads, and birds chirped happily in the treetops.

It wasn't long before they reached the pine trees. Small rocks covered the ground and the sunlight streamed down through a large gap in the trees.

"We can play here!" Dapplekit squeaked. "Come on, Fernkit! Let's play warriors! You can be MistClan!"

Fernkit pouted. "But I don't want to be MistClan! They're stinky!"

Mudpaw looked up and spotted a hawk circling the sky. "Umm... kits..."

"Don't be so whiny! Next time you can be LeafClan! I promise!"

The hawk soon spotted the three cats.

"Kits..." Mudpaw struggled to keep her voice calm.

"But you said that the last time we played!"

The hawk screeched and made a dive for the cats. It was focusing its eyes on Dapplekit.

"Hawk!" Mudpaw shoved the kits into the bushes, but not before the hawk scored its talons across Dapplekit's forehead.

Dapplekit screeched in pain, and Mudpaw darted in front of them.

"If you want them, you'll have to go through me!" she snarled, latching onto the hawk's back and digging her claws in.

The bird screeched, struggling to shake her off.

Mudpaw bit into its neck, and it managed to drop her onto the ground. Stunned, Mudpaw looked up to the sky to see it flying away.

She backed into the bushes. "Are you kits okay?"

Fernkit and Dapplekit nodded, but Dapplekit was bleeding from the wound on her forehead.

"Come on," Mudpaw mewed. "We need to get back to camp before any more predators show up."

They were much quicker getting back to camp as opposed to getting to the clearing.

Nettlepelt was up in an instant. "Dapplekit! What happened? Are you alright? Get to Sandfur immediately!"

Sandfur rushed the kit to the medicine den, and Nettlepelt turned to face Mudpaw.

"Why did you take them out of camp?" she demanded.

"Calm down. They're going to be apprentices soon, and Icestar said it would be okay."

The startled queen shook her head. "That's no excuse! Dapplekit could have been killed!"

"But she wasn't," Mudpaw soothed. "You're overreacting."

Nettlepelt narrowed her eyes. "Just be glad you're my daughter, otherwise I would've clawed your eyes out."

With that, Nettlepelt nudged Fernkit into the nursery.

"It was a brave thing, what you did, Mudpaw."

She turned to see Icestar and Nutwhisker padding towards her.

"Standing up to my mother, or saving Dapplekit from the hawk?"

"Saving Dapplekit, of course," Nutwhisker purred.

"Is she going to be okay?" Mudpaw asked.

Icestar nodded. "She'll probably have a scar for the rest of her life though."

Mudpaw let her tail droop. "Poor thing."

"Well it's better than being dead," Nutwhisker meowed.

Mudpaw shrugged. Icestar and Nutwhisker looked at each other, an odd look in their eyes.

"Mudpaw, I believe that your actions today have proved how formidable you truly are," Icestar meowed.

She looked up. "Really?"

Nutwhisker nodded. "In fact... Icestar and I have been talking..."

Mudpaw's ears pricked. "About...?"

"For your bravery today, I have decided that you will become a warrior," Icestar glanced at Nutwhisker. "Has she had her assessment yet?"

The gray and white tom nodded. "She had it a half moon ago."

"Do you think she's ready to become a warrior?"

Nutwhisker nodded, and Mudpaw's fur tingled with excitement.

"Then in that case..."

Icestar bounded up the Highbranch. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Highbranch for a Clan meeting! It is time to name a new warrior!"

Mudpaw bounced up and down with happiness. "Thank you so much, Nutwhisker!"

"You're welcome, Mudpaw," he mewed. "I hope you know, you'll be my last apprentice."

She stopped bouncing. "What do you mean?"

"I'm not going to be a mentor to any cat anymore," he replied. "Icestar thinks I'm too old."

"Does that mean you're retiring to the elders' den now?" Mudpaw asked sadly.

He purred and shook his head. "Of course not. I'm still going to be doing my warrior duties."

Mudpaw grinned. "Thank goodness."

Nutwhisker nosed her towards the center of the clearing. "You'd better get a move on," he meowed. "It is your warrior ceremony after all."

Mudpaw bounded away from him, stopping to face the crowd.

Rainspots and Rockpool looked at their friend proudly, and she thought she could hear Snowstorm and Silverclaw's purring coming from the center of the crowd.

Icestar looked down upon the camp. "Today, I will be performing two of my favourite duties; naming warriors and naming apprentices." He jumped down from the Highbranch, landing beside Mudpaw.

"I, Icestar, leader of LeafClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn."

He looked down at Mudpaw.

"Mudpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Mudpaw's voice shook as she replied. "I do."

Icestar held his head up. "Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Mudpaw, from this moment you will be known as Mudpool. StarClan honors your courage and honesty, and we welcome you as a full warrior of LeafClan."

Icestar rested his muzzle on Mudpool's head, and she licked his shoulder.

"Mudpool! Mudpool!"

The new warrior held her head high as her Clan chanted her name, and she retreated into the crowd.

"My next order of business is to name two kits as apprentices," he nodded to Dapplekit and Fernkit, who raced up to him excitedly. Dapplekit's forehead was swathed in cobwebs, but she didn't seem to care.

"Dapplekit and Fernkit, you have both reached your sixth moon, and it is time you both became apprentices. From this day on, until you recieve your warrior name, you will be known as Dapplepaw and Fernpaw."

Icestar beckoned with his tail to Riverflower and Streamtail, who stepped out of the crowd.

"Riverflower you have shown yourself to be brave and kind. You will be Dapplepaw's mentor."

Riverflower and Dapplepaw touched noses, and stepped back.

"Streamtail, you are ready for your first apprentice. You will be Fernpaw's mentor. Share with her your intelligence and skill."

Streamtail bent to touch noses with Fernpaw.

"Dapplepaw! Fernpaw! Dapplepaw! Fernpaw!"

Mudpool cheered as loud as she could for the new apprentices until she thought her lungs would burst.

She was taken by surprise as Hawkpaw and Tigerpaw pressed their noses into her pelt.

"Congradulations, Mudpool!" Tigerpaw mewed.

"Don't grow up too fast on us!" Hawkpaw joked. "You'll be an elder by the time we're warriors!"

Mudpool purred. "Don't be silly! You two will be warriors in no time!"

"Now we have to deal with Dapplepaw and Fernpaw!" Tigerpaw meowed. "They'll probably be up all night talking!"

The three of them joked with each other, just like old times when they were kits.

_I hope this peace lasts, _Mudpool thought once again. _It's much nicer than having to think about the prophecy all the time._

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**It appears as though the cats have their doubts about Ravensky, hmm? **

**Well, I hope you enjoyed the new chapter!**

**Stay tuned for the next one!**


	10. Chapter 9

**I personally liked this chapter. Hope you do too! ^_^**

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**Mudpool's Path- Chapter 9**

Mudpool emerged from beneath the spruce tree where the warriors' den was situated. She yawned, stretching out her legs and back. Warmth filled the air, the sun shone above the camp, and a couple of stray clouds rolled along the sky.

"It's such a nice day out," she purred.

Rockpool stepped out from behind her. "You can say that again."

The two she-cats stepped out into the center of the clearing. Weaselfang was padding over to the elders' den, Birchkit following close behind. Birdwing and Featherflight were sharing tongues outside the nursery. Judging by Birdwing's swollen belly, Mudpool guessed she'd be having kits soon.

"I'm surprised she hasn't given up her warrior duties, yet," Rockpool commented. "She'll end up hurting herself if she keeps going."

"She'll go to the nursery when she's ready," Mudpool insisted.

Rockpool shrugged. "I guess. She should be worrying about her kits though."

Mudpool heard a squeak coming from the medicine den and saw Dapplepaw and Nettlepelt pad out from the rock cave. Dapplepaw stared at her reflection in a nearby puddle.

"Look, Nettlepelt!" she mewed with glee. "I really look like a warrior now!"

Mudpool took note of the large scar the attack with the hawk the previous moon had left behind. Her fur was thinner near that area, and the scar veered towards her left eye. Mudpool was surprised that the young apprentice was excited about having such a scar, but she didn't bring it up.

Nettlepelt shook her head. "Dapplepaw, you must be careful the next time you go out into the forest. I don't want you to get killed."

Dapplepaw spun around. "I look like a real warrior though, right?"

Nettlepelt sighed and touched her nose to Dapplepaw's. "Yes, of course. Now hurry along. Riverflower said she wants to do some training with you."

Dapplepaw sped towards the camp entrance, where Riverflower was waiting, and they left together into the forest.

"So has anyone told Dapplepaw and Fernpaw about them being rogues, yet?" Rockpool pondered.

Mudpool pricked her ears in shock, darting her head around to make sure no cat had heard. "Keep your voice down!" she hissed. "No cat has told them about anything, and right now we'd like to keep it that way."

"It almost seems as though some cats would do anything to spill the secret," the gray she-cat mentioned. "Look around you."

Mudpool did so, and she noticed Weaselfang and Maplefrost had unsure looks on their faces, and were glancing out the entrance tunnel with a possibly hostile light in their eyes. Weaselfang looked at Maplefrost, who nodded and went out the entrance.

Mudpool sprung to her paws. "We have to stop him!"

Rockpool slammed her paw down on Mudpool's tail, dragging her back. "Wait a second, mouse-brain! Maybe this is for the best."

Mudpool struggled to turn around and face her. "No, it isn't! If Maplefrost tells them about them being rogues, they'll blame me!"

Rockpool cocked her head. "What makes you think they'll blame you?"

Mudpool ripped her tail out from beneath Rockpool's paws. "I was the one that brought them here in the first place!"

Without another word, she sped out the entrance tunnel, speeding through the forest. The trees were a blur as she ran, trying to detect Maplefrost's scent. She caught a whiff of him through a narrow path, and continued to sprint after him.

Looking up to the sky, she saw that clouds were beginning to cover the sun. The birds were quieting down, and grasshoppers ceased their chirping.

_Oh StarClan, please don't let me be too late!_

She almost froze when she heard the apprentices voices.

"Like this?" Mudpool heard Dapplepaw's voice echo through the trees.

"No mousebrain!" That was Fernpaw. "Riverflower meant like this!"

Mudpool ran faster, her now coming in short, quick gasps. The sky continued to be filled with clouds, and she saw squirrels retreating to their nests in the trees. When she finally reached the training area, she found that she was too late.

Maplefrost stood in front of the kits. "You two know you aren't Clan cats, right?"

Dapplepaw purred and rolled her eyes. "Don't be silly! We were born in LeafClan!"

Fernpaw turned to Riverflower, an amused look in her eyes. "He's so funny, isn't he?"

Riverflower turned her head away, and Fernpaw's amused gaze turned into a look of worry. "Is everything okay?" she asked.

Maplefrost stepped forward. "Oh everything's fine. I just came to tell you about where you really came from."

Mudpool ran up to him. "Maplefrost... don't..." she could hardly speak, since she was so out of breath.

Maplefrost twitched his tail, but didn't turn around. "You two aren't from LeafClan. You aren't even from any of the other Clans."

Dapplepaw and Fernpaw exchanged confused glances, then turned back to him. "What do you mean?" Dapplepaw meowed.

"You're rogues," Maplefrost replied, without a single emotion. "You two were found at the MistClan border. You never had even a single drop of Clan blood in you."

Dapplepaw stepped back. "You're wrong! You're lying to us!"

Maplefrost finally took note of Mudpool's presence. "Why not ask Mudpool what she thinks? She was the one who brought you here after all."

Maplefrost smirked at Mudpool and padded past her back to camp.

Fernpaw looked up at her, sadness lighting her eyes. "Is he really telling the truth, Mudpool? Are we really rogues?"

Mudpool looked at the two apprentices, unsure of what to say. She let out a shaky breath. "Yes," she admitted. "You two are rogues. Nutwhisker and I brought you here in leaf-bare, on my first day as an apprentice."

They looked up at her with horror. Mudpool quickly added, "Please don't think badly of me. I thought that I did the right thing by not telling you. I thought that if you never learned about being rogues, you'd live a normal Clan life, as normal Clan cats. No matter what, you'll still be LeafClan warriors. Please understand that."

Dapplepaw and Fernpaw looked at each other, and they flattened their ears, turning to face her once more.

"You lied to us," Dapplepaw hissed. "You always pretended as though there was nothing wrong with us, as though we were 'normal' Clan cats. Now you come up to us and tell us we're rogues, after all these moons, and expect us to forgive you?"

Mudpool nodded solemnly, keeping her head down, feeling her heart breaking.

"Did any other cat know?" Fernpaw demanded. "Were they all lying to us too?"

Riverflower finally turned to look at them. "Yes. We all knew you were rogues. The only cat that doesn't know you were rogues is Birchkit. But we didn't lie to you. We were only trying to keep you safe."

Dapplepaw and Fernpaw padded over to the gray warrior. "We forgive you, and the rest of the Clan," Dapplepaw assured. "But Mudpool didn't tell us. She was the one that brought us here, so she should've been the one to tell us."

Fernpaw looked at Mudpool, hostility darkening her face. "Is there anything else we need to know?" she spat. "Are we part kittypet, too?"

Mudpool tried to reply, but Dapplepaw interrupted her. "Just go away, Mudpool! We don't want to talk to you anymore!"

The two apprentices turned away from her, and Riverflower stared at the brown tabby she-cat, with a look that said it all. "I'm so sorry."

Mudpool turned away, her tail and ears drooping. She felt a raindrop fall onto her head, and rain soon began to pour down. She felt a sob rising in her chest, but she supressed it.

_I have to be strong, _she told herself. _It doesn't matter that my two adoptive sisters hate me now and never want to speak to me again. I have... the rest of my life ahead of me. _

She soon felt that she couldn't hold down the feelings of sadness anymore. She collapsed onto the now-muddy ground, sobs erupting from her chest. She forced her eyes shut, letting the rain soak her fur, and letting it freeze her down to her bones.

_Maplefrost... why? I thought we put aside our differences... did that mean nothing to you?_

~o~o~o~o~

She awoke to find herself on a barren field, nothing but emptiness stretching out around her. The sky and landscape were gray, and no sound but her own breathing could be heard.

"Hello?" she called out, her voice echoing eerily through the field.

As soon as she spoke, dark trees sprouted out of the ground, surrounding her, trapping her in the emptiness.

She froze in horror as a familiar noise rang through the trees. It was a sound she hadn't heard in a long time, a sound she hoped she had heard the last of. It was the sound of rattling bones.

Her eyes widened as the shadow of a cat approached.

"You poor, pathetic kit," the shadow mocked. "I told you to join me. But did you? No, you chose your Clan over me."

Mudpool stopped cowering and straightened up. "I'm not a 'kit' anymore," she declared. "I'm a warrior now. I'm not scared of you."

The unseeable cat purred. "Oh, but you will be. In the moons to come, things will only get worse. Cats you think you can trust will betray you, just like Maplefrost did today. Cats will think that you are the cause of their fates and problems, just like Dapplepaw and Fernpaw think about you."

"How do you even know me?" Mudpool hissed. "We've never even met! I don't even know who you are!"

"I know you all too well, Mudpool," the shadow meowed. "I know all about your little Clans, too. They're going to crash and fall, and darkness will rule."

"That's a load of fox-dung," Mudpool snarled. "Darkness will always fall to the light."

The shadow crept closer. "But if the light is destroyed, then the darkness will rise, and it will engulf all those around it."

Mudpool turned away. "Get away from me, you fox-heart. You don't know anything."

The cat hissed, and slammed her paws down on the ground. "You are the one that knows nothing!"

The trees soon began to fall, their roots ripping from beneath the ground. Yowls of terror rang out among the forest, and cats were screaming for help.

Mudpool ran through the forest, attempting to dodge every incoming tree. She froze when she came to a dead end, in front of the face of a cliff. She watched in terror as a tree began to topple in her direction.

"No!" she howled, frozen to the spot. "It can't end like this!"

A flash of orange sped among the trees, and Mudpool saw it was an enormous cat with black stripes. It grabbed her by the scruff, yanking her out of harm's way. Mudpool could hear the shadow cat's yowls of rage echo through the forest.

The cat continued to run with her, until a silvery mist rose in front of them, and when they emerged, Mudpool saw she was alone, in a much more pleasant area. Mudpool stared ahead, and saw that Shimmerheart, the StarClan cat, was approaching her.

"Thought we'd leave you hanging, huh?" the she-cat purred, nuzzling Mudpool's flank.

Mudpool looked around in confusion. "That cat... what was it?"

"It was a tiger," Shimmerheart mewed. "They are from the Clans of long ago. It will be the one who assists you in times of trouble. They are courageous and they were once very loyal to their Clanmates."

Mudpool cocked her head. "What does that have to do with anything?"

Shimmerheart leaned closer. "Why not ask the tiger that currently lives with you?"

Mudpool was about to ask what she meant by that, when everything suddenly began to fade. She heard the prophecy echo through her mind, the prophecy she hadn't heard in a long time.

_The shadows of the past are threatening the Clans. The cats of mud, hawk, rock, rain and tiger must come together to defeat the impending darkness. _

~o~o~o~o~

"Mudpool! Wake up!"

Mudpool's eyes opened, and she slowly rose to her feet, her bones aching. She saw Tigerpaw and Hawkpaw standing in front of her.

"Where... what happened?" she sat down in the nest she was resting in, looking around the cave she was in.

"You're in the medicine den," Hawkpaw replied. "Sandfur saw that you had collapsed on the ground and was worried you were sick. He brought you here with our help."

"He also wanted you to have these," Tigerpaw pushed a poultice of feverfew toward her. "They'll soothe your chills and fever. They'll also help with your aching."

Mudpool soon realized the fever, and quickly ate the herbs, making a face as she swallowed them.

"You were twitching in your sleep," Tigerpaw mentioned. "Were you having a bad dream?"

Mudpool nodded. "It was an awful dream."

"Like the ones you've had before?" Hawkpaw asked.

Tigerpaw cocked her head. "The ones before? This has happened other times before now?"

Mudpool nodded. "I also found out... who the last cat in the prophecy is."

Hawkpaw placed her tail over Mudpool mouth quickly. "Don't say that while other cats are around!"

"What prophecy?" Tigerpaw demanded. "Have you been keeping secrets from me, Hawkpaw?"

"Yes, we have," Mudpool moved her head away from Hawkpaw's tail. "But there's no need to anymore."

Hawkpaw's eyes widened. "Are you...?"

Mudpool nodded, and turned to face Tigerpaw. "When I was still a kit, StarClan gave me a prophecy. They told me that the cats of mud, hawk, rock, rain and tiger must come together to save the Clans, but it wasn't until later that I realized they meant I needed to find five cats I had grown close to.

"Hawkpaw was the first cat that I had found, and she helped me find the next two cats, Rockpool and Rainspots."

"For the longest time, we didn't know where to look for the last cat, since StarClan wasn't sending Mudpool any more dreams," Hawkpaw added. "Until now, at least."

"In my most recent dream, I was running out of a forest with collapsing trees. I was about to be killed by one, until a tiger came from out of nowhere and saved me," Mudpool finished.

Tigerpaw shook her head. "That doesn't make any sense. Why are you telling me this?"

Hawkpaw and Mudpool looked at each other, nodded, and, in unison, they meowed, "You're the last cat in the prophecy."

Tigerpaw's eyes widened, and she stared at them both. "That can't be true... can it? I'm just an ordinary cat, I'm nothing special."

"Maybe none of us are," Mudpool meowed. "But that changes nothing. You're still a part of the prophecy, and now that we have found all five cats, we can finally figure out what it means."

Tigerpaw looked down. "I don't know what to say... but I promise I won't let you down."

Mudpool purred, then realized her strength was fading.

"You should get some rest," Hawkpaw insisted. "I'll tell Rockpool and Rainspots that the last cat has been found."

"Thanks Hawkpaw..." Mudpool whispered. Her eyes closed, and the darkness closed in on her, giving her a peaceful sleep.

But even though she felt at peace, she couldn't help but worry about whether Dapplepaw and Fernpaw would ever forgive her.

~o~o~o~o~

Mudpool ran up Hawkpaw and Tigerpaw, now known as Hawkwing and Tigerstripe, who had just had their warrior ceremony the day before. It was only four sunrises after she had the awful nightmare, but she was happy it was all over now.

"How was your vigil?" Mudpool asked. "Was it cold?"

Hawkwing shrugged. "It was okay. We heard weird noises out in the forest that sounded like cats, but other than that it was fine."

"That's good to hear," Mudpool turned her attention to Weaselfang and Blacktail, who were sharing tongues outside the elders' den. "I'm going to bring them something from the fresh-kill pile. Want to come?"

Tigerstripe purred. "Sure! We'd be happy to!"

The three cats sauntered over to the fresh-kill pile, nosing through the bodies of prey. Mudpool spotted a large rabbit, picking it up with her teeth.

"Great StarClan! This is the heaviest rabbit I've ever seen!" Mudpool remarked through a mouthful of rabbit fur.

"That must mean it's very good," Hawkwing meowed. "Blacktail and Weaselfang will love it!"

Mudpool, with some assistance from Hawkwing and Tigerstripe, carried the large rabbit over to where the two toms sat.

Weaselfang looked up. "Is this for us?"

Mudpool nodded, placing the rabbit down gently. "Looks good, doesn't it?"

Blacktail bent his head over to take a large bite. "It sure does."

The two cats began to eat their prey, and Mudpool noticed bright red juice flowing out of it.

"That must be a very fresh rabbit," Mudpool whispered in Hawkwing's ear. "Look at all that blood."

Hawkwing sniffed it, and sprang back in horror. "That's not blood! It's-"

Her words were cut off, as Blacktail and Weaselfang began to writhe and shriek in agony.

* * *

**I'm a terrible person for leaving you with a cliffhanger. Okay, bye now! **

**But seriously, review this. I've had over 200 views and only 2 reviews. I don't want to sound rude, but please, just do me a favour and review this. **


	11. Chapter 10

**Not much to say here, but enjoy!**

* * *

**Mudpool's Path- Chapter 10**

"What's happening to them?!" Tigerstripe shrieked.

"I tried to tell you!" Hawkwing meowed. "It's deathberry juice! Some cat filled this rabbit to the brim with deathberries!"

"Who would have done such a thing?" Mudpool fretted.

Icestar pushed them out of the way. "Nevermind who did it," he hissed. "We need to help them! Sandfur, find some yarrow! Maybe it'll take the deathberries out of their system!"

Sandfur burst out of the medicine den. "I don't have any!" he yowled. "I never thought we'd need any yarrow, so... I never got any."

Icestar turned on him, his fur bristling. "What kind of medicine cat are you?!" he snarled. "Find some immediately! And hurry!"

Sandfur nodded, and as he ran out of the camp, he meowed over his shoulder, "Try taking the deathberries out of their mouth first! It might help!"

"Someone hold down their legs!" Tigerstripe commanded. "It'll help us get the deathberries out!"

Dawnshadow and Icestar did as she instructed, and Tigerstripe and Mudpool bent over the writhing cats.

"Calm down!" Mudpool begged Blacktail. "Please just calm down!"

"He isn't going to calm down if you aren't going to do the same!" Hawkwing snapped. "Get a hold of yourself!"

"R-Right, I just have to calm down..." Mudpool tried to steady her breathing, then she remembered Blacktail. She turned to him, prying open his mouth with one paw and removing the deathberries with the other.

Blacktail sputtered. "I can't feel my legs... everything's going dark..." he moaned, his jaws parted to reveal red-stained teeth.

"Stay with us Blacktail!" Mudpool meowed. "You can still make it!"

"Tell Sandfur I'm proud he made it this far..." Blacktail whimpered, then gave an enormous shudder before his body fell still, and his eyes went blank.

Mudpool turned her head to see Tigerstripe forcing her paws down on Weaselfang's chest, in an effort to make him cough up the berries.

"It's too late... My body is going numb..." Weaselfang rasped, then fell silent.

Mudpool took a step back. Blacktail and Weaselfang's jaws were parted in silent screams, their eyes still wide open and staring at nothing.

"Why... who would want to kill a warrior and an elder...?" Mudpool mewed.

Rockpool padded up beside her, and stared at her with a questionable gaze in her eyes. "You were upset that Weaselfang and Maplefrost told Dapplepaw and Fernpaw about being rogues..."

"You were also the one who offered to bring Weaselfang and Blacktail something from the fresh-kill pile," Hawkwing added.

Mudpool stared at them in astonishment. "You don't think I did this, do you?!"

Hawkwing and Rockpool stared at the ground, shifting their paws, and Tigerstripe pretended to be fixated on a leaf.

Rainspots padded over to them. "Of course she wouldn't want to kill them," she assured. "For one thing she's a part of the prophecy. Are we going to put that aside just because we suspect she killed two cats, even when we have no proof?"

Hawkwing shrugged. "You're right, Rainspots. Sorry Mudpool."

Rockpool and Tigerstripe echoed Hawkwing's apology.

But Rainspots continued. "With that being said, we don't know who did this. Furthermore, this could prove there's still a murderer out there."

Mudpool's eyes widened. "But wasn't that fox the murderer? Didn't we kill it?"

Rainspots focused her amber gaze on her. "Maybe we killed the wrong suspect. It may be a cat."

Tigerstripe looked up from her leaf. "What kind of sick, twisted cat would want to do something like this?"

"Maybe Rockpool and I were right when we said it could've been a rogue," Hawkwing mentioned. "It can't be sickness, since we just witnessed Weaselfang and Blacktail's deaths."

Just then, Sandfur emerged through the entrance tunnel, with a mouthful of yarrow in his jaws. "How are Blacktail and Weaselfang doing?" he demanded.

Mudpool bowed her head. "I'm sorry, Sandfur. They died while you were out. Blacktail's last wish was for me to tell you how proud he was."

Sandfur's tail drooped, and he padded slowly into the medicine den.

"I guess he's the full-time medicine cat now," Rainspots mewed.

"Poor guy," Tigerstripe murmured. "He won't be the same now that Blacktail's dead."

The five of them held their heads down, mourning for the lives they had lost. Mudpool's head snapped back up, a determined look in her eyes. "We need to find the murderer, and fast. If we don't we'll lose more cats."

Hawkwing stared at her. "What do you have in mind?" she asked. "We can't just go back in time and figure out who the murderer is! Nothing works that way!"

"I have a plan," Mudpool replied. "But it involves sitting at the borders of each Clan and waiting for a patrol or some other cat we know come by."

"That's kind of risky," Rainspots mentioned, twitching her tail. "I like it."

"I can go to the BreezeClan border," Tigerstripe offered. "I'm acquainted with Featherheart well enough, I can ask her how Loudheart and Ashpaw died."

"That sounds like a good idea," Mudpool meowed. "Hawkwing and Rockpool can go to the ShadeClan border, and Rainspots and I can go to MistClan."

"Sounds like a plan," Hawkwing mewed. "But what about our Clan? We can't just leave them alone. What will they think of us, leaving the camp when there's hunting and patrolling to be done?"

"I can stall them here," Rainspots offered. "You can go to MistClan on your own, can't you, Mudpool?"

"Sure," Mudpool replied, slightly annoyed that Rainspots would do something like this at the last second. "Just keep them from figuring out where we went."

Rainspots nodded, and as they went out through the entrance tunnel, she meowed, "May StarClan help you all!"

~o~o~o~o~

Mudpool sat beneath a bush on the LeafClan side of the border. She felt as though she would doze off at any time, but she kept reminding herself that she needed to keep an eye out for any MistClan cats.

Peering around the bush, she spotted Mossnose and Ravensky padding along their side of the border. Mudpool sprang out and faced the two of them.

"Mudpool!" Mossnose exclaimed. "What are you doing?"

Ravensky licked Mossnose's ear. "It's okay, Mossnose. She probably wants to talk to you. I'll be waiting back at camp for you, okay?"

Mossnose pressed her nose against his. "Okay. I won't be long, I promise."

As Ravensky padded away, Mudpool padded up to her, twitching her tail in amusement. "What's going on with you two? Are you mates now or something?"

Mossnose sat down and curled her tail over her front paws, a smug look on her face. "I don't see you with a mate, so that must mean there isn't a cat that cares for you like Ravensky does for me."

Mudpool narrowed her eyes. _When did she suddenly go through such a huge change? She's never been like this to me before!_

Mossnose yawned. "Are we going to sit here all day, chattering like elders, or what do you want? Ravensky's waiting for me back at camp."

Mudpool was reminded of her task. "How did Boulderstep and Sunfur die?"

"Why is it any of your business?"

"It just is," Mudpool growled. "Blacktail and Weaselfang just died."

"How tragic," Mossnose meowed, with what Mudpool hoped was sincere sadness in her voice, then turned back to her. "If you really must know, Boulderstep was pushed into the river and sliced his throat on a rock, and Sunfur had his eyes clawed out and throat torn near your border."

Mudpool cocked her head. "Why would they both die near our border?"

Mossnose shrugged. "Maybe some cat in your Clan killed them?"

Mudpool lashed her tail. "Not one cat in my Clan is a traitor, if that's what you're implying."

Mossnose purred. "I'm only kidding, lighten up. To be honest I don't know why all these cats are dying all of a sudden."

Mudpool sighed. "Thanks anyway."

"Glad I could help," Mossnose meowed, turning back towards her camp.

Padding back through the forest, Mudpool spotted a thrush in the trees. She licked her lips, climbing the tree quietly and carefully, being careful not to disturb it. Perching herself on the branch the thrush was on, she lunged for it, killing it with a swift bite to the throat.

She climbed back down the tree, carrying her thrush, and made her way back to camp. Dapplepaw and Fernpaw were leaving just as she returned. She waved in a friendly way with her tail, but the two of them simply turned their heads away from her. Mudpool sighed and let her tail droop.

_They really are never going to speak to me again. _

Mudpool saw that Hawkwing, Rockpool and Tigerstripe had returned, and they were gathered in front of the warriors' den.

Mudpool padded over to them. "What did you find out?" she asked, dropping her thrush.

Rockpool bent down to eat the thrush, but Hawkwing cuffed her around the ear before answering. "Like Flamestar said at the Gathering, Wildstorm died of a sickness. There wasn't much else we could find out, but we know that Flamestar lost a life."

"How did you figure that out? No sane cat ever mentions how many lives a leader has left."

"We heard Sweetberry talking with another ShadeClan cat," Rockpool replied. "Some cat came into his den in the middle of the night and wounded him pretty badly. Apparently he only has three lives left now."

"Weird..." Mudpool turned to Tigerstripe. "What about you, Tigerstripe? What did you figure out?"

The ginger tabby looked up. "Featherheart said that Ashpaw and Loudheart died from a rockfall. Loudheart's body couldn't be found in the rubble, so they didn't even have a proper burial."

"No matter how far they dug?" Mudpool asked. "That's just plain creepy. I found out from Mossnose that Boulderstep was pushed into the river and Sunfur had his eyes and throat clawed out."

Rainspots shook her head. "Why are cats being killed like this? It's understandable to be killed in battle, but deathberries? Pushing cats into rivers? What's going on here?"

"I hope we find out soon," Mudpool mewed. "This just keeps getting stranger and stranger every time it happens."

"Well, we need to find out now," Hawkwing meowed. "And fast! I don't know how much more of this stress I can take..."

"We'll find them!" Rainspots assured. "We just need to look at the evidence."

"Well, all we know is that this murderer particularly enjoys resorting to violent methods of killing their victims," Tigerstripe meowed.

"They're also not limiting themselves to any Clan," Rockpool added. "The Clans probably did something to this murderer that they clearly did not like..."

"We aren't getting anywhere with this information!" Hawkwing hissed. "The only thing we do know is that this cat is completely insane!"

Mudpool sighed. "I guess you're right. We'll only find out when we can, and for the time being, we just have to wait."

~o~o~o~o~

Mudpool pressed her nose against Blacktail's pelt, moving onto Weaselfang. "I'll miss you both," she murmured. "I promise I'll look for you in the skies."

She stepped back, watching as other cats paid their respects. Birchkit stared at the body of his dead father. Mudpool pressed her nose to the top of Birchkit's head.

"Don't worry," she murmured. "He'll be watching you from StarClan."

Birchkit sighed. "I wanted him to see me become a warrior. Why did he have to die now?"

"StarClan works in mysterious ways," Mudpool meowed. "This is an example of one of those ways."

Birchkit looked up. "You'll be my mentor next moon, won't you? You're really smart, and I want a smart mentor."

Mudpool purred. "We'll just have to wait and see, Birchkit."

She sat down beside Birchkit, as he began to tell her about his day, and how he chased a butterfly out of the nursery into the elders' den.

"Come on, Birchkit," Featherflight urged. "Go to the nursery. Birdwing's waiting for you."

"Can't I stay out here with you?" Birchkit begged. "I'm old enough aren't I?"

Featherflight stared at him. "No. It'll be leaf-fall soon, and I don't want you to catch a cold. Now go to Birdwing."

Birchkit groaned, and bounded back to the nursery.

Mudpool purred. The same feeling of what it would be like to have kits came back, and she didn't try to bat it away this time. Looking around her, she saw Maplefrost padding over to Morninglight, touching noses with each other and padding into the warriors den together, their pelts almost touching.

_Or I could just leave the mate stuff to everyone else. _

She padded into the den after them, settling herself into her nest beside Silverclaw and Snowstorm.

"So where were you today?" Snowstorm asked. "You never even spend time with us anymore! We wanted to go hunting with you today."

"Yeah! We had to go hunting by ourselves!" Silverclaw meowed. "You spend so much time with Hawkwing, Rockpool, Rainspots and Tigerstripe, it almost seems as though we aren't good enough for you!"

"Sorry, I just wanted to go hunting alone today," Mudpool meowed, knowing it wasn't the truth. If Snowstorm and Silverclaw asked her to go with them, she would've done it.

Snowstorm rolled her eyes. "Just remember there are more cats in the Clan than them, like us."

Mudpool groaned. "I'll remember."

She closed her eyes slowly, letting sleep take her over.

_If I have to put aside my own kin for the prophecy, to save the forest from whatever is threatening it, I'll do it, because if I can put them aside, I won't have to constantly worry about them getting hurt. _

~o~o~o~o~

A tom was running through the forest, which reeked of Clan scent. He felt proud of himself, being able to kill two cats in one day.

He halted at the base of a rock. In front of him sat a dark cat, their amber eyes glinting eerily in the shadows.

"Leader, I did it," he panted. "Two more are gone."

"Perfect," the cat meowed, their voice equally as dark. "Soon, the Clans won't stand a chance against us. They'll soon regret what they did to me many seasons ago."

The tom bowed his head, a purr rising in his throat. "When will we make our move?"

"I decide when we make the first move, mouse-brain!" the cat snapped. "If you try anything now, I'll rip your heart out! Do you want the same fate as the other cats who have disobeyed me?"

The tom looked around him, at the sight of the unmoving corpses that were once his allies, their mouths parted in soundless wails, their eye sockets covered in dried blood. "Of course not, Leader."

"Then hurry up," the cat growled. "My patience is running out. Soon, the time will come when we unleash our wrath among the Clans."

The tom nodded, turning and sprinting back into the forest. The cat leaned back and purred to itself.

_I'll soon exact my revenge on the Clans. When that happens, I'll be able to rule over the whole forest._

* * *

**Once again: Reviews. They are my life source XD**

**Of course, I'm not going to be a jerk and hold my chapters back because of lack of feedback. **

**Stay tuned for the next chapter!**


	12. Chapter 11

**Yeeeaaah, new chapter! Hope you like it!**

* * *

**Mudpool's Path- Chapter 11**

The sound of kits wailing woke Mudpool up. She groaned and pressed her face into her nest. Birdwing's kits, Cloudkit and Darkkit had only recently been born, and already they were a pain in the tail.

"I can't tell if Birdwing's even trying to calm them down!" Maplefrost growled. "This has been happening every night since they were born!"

Nightclaw lifted his head drowsily and, giving a glare to Maplefrost, padded quietly out of the warriors' den.

"I don't know how Nightclaw can stand all of this," Specklefur meowed. "He gets up every night just to calm down his sons."

"It's only natural for a father to be worried about his kits," Nettlepelt remarked. "Our mates looked out for our kits, didn't they?"

"Thrushflight looked after us well," Snowstorm meowed. "And we turned out okay, didn't we?"

Nettlepelt purred. "Yes, of course you did."

With that, the noise quieted down, and Mudpool was relieved to finally be able to get some more sleep.

~o~o~o~o~

Mudpool opened her eyes, relieved to find she hadn't had a dream about that mysterious cat again. She got up from her mossy nest, stretched out her legs and back, and exited from the warriors' den.

She looked up at the trees. The leaves had turned brilliant shades of red and gold, and several of them had already fallen off the trees, decorating the floor of the camp.

She watched as Birchkit, now Birchpaw, emerged from the apprentices' den, along with Dapplepaw and Fernpaw. She couldn't believe he was an apprentice already. She felt as though it were just yesterday he was born.

Maplefrost came out from behind Mudpool, padding over to the tabby apprentice. Birchpaw bounced up and down with excitement, and followed the warrior out of camp.

Mudpool couldn't help but feel jealous as the pair left. She was hoping that Icestar would let her have him as an apprentice, but the leader had decided that Maplefrost was more experienced than she was.

_Why does Maplefrost just _have _to come along and take away everything I love?_

"Hey, Mudpool."

Mudpool turned around in surprise to see Snowstorm and Silverclaw.

"Do you want to come hunting with us?" Snowstorm asked.

"We haven't done anything together in a long time," Silverclaw added. "This would be a good moment for us to catch up."

Mudpool purred. "I'd love to."

The three siblings padded out of camp, heading into the forest near the old Twoleg nest. The sides of the strange nest were crumbling, bits and pieces of it falling off.

"Do any Twolegs live there?" Mudpool questioned.

"Probably not," Snowstorm meowed. "It looks almost inhabitable. Rogues probably live in it, though."

Mudpool thought she heard something crash inside of the nest, but she wasn't sure. Either way, she leapt back when she heard it.

"What was that?!" she yowled.

"You ask too many questions!" Silverclaw purred. "Try and lighten up! Have some fun for a change!"

"That's easy for you to say!" Mudpool retorted.

"He's right though, Mudpool," Snowstorm mewed. "We're not going to be warriors forever. Soon we'll be old and frail, and we won't be able to do anything fun!"

"We'll be like Grassnose!" Silverclaw fretted. "We'll be cold and alone in the elders' den, and we won't have any other cat to talk to!"

"I think you're overreacting," Mudpool interrupted. "We are not going to be alone. We'll have each other, right?"

"I guess..." Snowstorm admitted. "But we still won't be able to do anything fun or anything for ourselves! Soon, we'll be elders and Dapplepaw and Fernpaw will be warriors having to come in every day to check on us!"

Mudpool sighed. "They'll be checking on you two, but... they won't be checking on me..."

Snowstorm tilted her head. "What are you-?"

"They aren't talking to her, remember?" Silverclaw meowed. "They got angry with her because she never told them about being rogues."

Mudpool held her head down in sadness. She never wanted them to hate her, she simply wanted them to be safe, so that the other Clans wouldn't make fun of them or try to kill them.

"It's too nice a day to worry about this!" Snowstorm brought Mudpool back from her thoughts. "We should be hunting! We could even have a competition to see who can bring back the best prey!"

Silverclaw straightened up. "I'll win of course! I'm the best hunter here!"

"We'll just see about that!" Snowstorm hissed playfully. "You come too, Mudpool!"

Mudpool grinned. "Alright!"

The three of them split up, Mudpool heading towards the MistClan border. She lifted her nose, hoping to catch the scent of any prey. Instead, she only caught the scent of a MistClan warrior.

Emerging from the bushed on the other side of the river was a cat she hadn't seen in a long time, a cat she hoped she wouldn't see again.

"Eagleclaw?"

The brown and white tom narrowed his eyes. "Mudpool," he greeted coldly. "I'm just as surprised as you are. What brings you here?"

"I'm hunting," Mudpool meowed.

"You'd better stay on your side of the border," Eagleclaw hissed. "I wouldn't want my Clan to go after you because of stolen prey."

"I wasn't planning on crossing the border anyway," Mudpool retorted. "My Clan has enough prey over here."

"Good," Eagleclaw hissed, turning his back on her. "Let's keep it that way, shall we?"

Mudpool spat after him. _I can't believe there was ever a time when I was in love with him, _she thought with disgust.

She soon caught the whiff of a mouse, and she quietly followed the scent. Peeking through a clump of brambles, she spotted a fat mouse digging through the cold earth trying to find food.

She wriggled her haunches, and sprang onto it, only to find that it had heard her and darted away. She leapt after it, dodging rocks and trees in a frantic pursuit to get it. She soon drew close to it, and sprang onto it once more, immobilizing and killing it with a swift bite to the neck.

She picked it up in her jaws, purring to herself as she made her way back to the Twoleg nest. Mudpool noticed that Silverclaw and Snowstorm had already made it back, with a crow and a thrush.

"So whose prey is the best?" Mudpool mewed through a mouthful of mouse fur.

"I think it's a tie," Snowstorm admitted. "They all look good."

"Then lets get back and give these to the Clan!" Silverclaw suggested. "They'll be so proud of us!"

Mudpool and Snowstorm nodded in agreement, following their brother out of the forest. When they got back, it was already sunhigh. Mudpool spotted Dapplepaw and Fernpaw, who promptly turned their heads away from her.

_How much longer is this going to keep up?! _

She placed her prey, along with Silverclaw and Snowstorm's prey, on the fresh-kill pile. She turned around to see Hawkwing and Rockpool heading towards her.

"Mudpool!" Hawkwing meowed excitedly. "We just came up with a great plan!"

She tilted her head. "A plan for what?"

"A plan to figure out more about the prophecy, silly!" Rockpool meowed. "But first..."

She walked past Mudpool, picking up the large mouse Mudpool had just brought back. Hawkwing narrowed her eyes. "Seriously? Don't you think that can wait?"

Rockpool looked up in astonishment. "Wait for food? Never!" The gray she-cat bent down and began to eat away at her meal.

Hawkwing rolled her eyes. "Anyway, I thought we could go to the Moonhill."

Mudpool was taken aback. "Go to the Moonhill? Why?"

"So that StarClan can visit us and tell us what's going on, of course!" Hawkwing replied. "Maybe if they came to all of us, then we'd figure out more about what's going on."

Mudpool shifted her paws. "I don't know. It sounds kind of risky. We'd have to pass through BreezeClan territory, and they aren't exactly on good terms with us."

"Quit worrying so much! We'll just lie low and sneak through."

"But what about the Clan? Won't they be looking for us?"

"Don't worry about them!" Rockpool meowed, finished with her prey. "We'll just say we're going out on a night patrol."

"Are you sure that will keep them from worrying about us?" Mudpool fretted.

"We can only hope so," Rockpool replied. "But it probably will. I mean, didn't Nutwhisker once say he patrolled the entire territory overnight one time?"

Mudpool shrugged. "Yeah, but-"

"You're thinking this over too much!" Hawkwing soothed. "We'll be fine, trust me!"

Mudpool sighed. "Alright, fine. You guys win. But we'll have to tell Rainspots and Tigerstripe when they get back from hunting."

"Oh don't worry about those two," Rockpool meowed. "They'll think its a great idea."

~o~o~o~o~

"This is a terrible idea!" Rainspots exclaimed. "We can't go through BreezeClan territory without anyone knowing!"

Tigerstripe slapped her tail over Rainspots' mouth. "Keep it down! You'll scare all the prey from here to the Great Maple!"

"Will you come, Tigerstripe?" Hawkwing asked.

"Well duh!" the tabby snorted. "Of course I'm coming."

"Well I'm not going to let you all go alone," Rainspots sighed. "I'm coming with you."

"Good, you'll be like moral support!" Mudpool purred.

"Sure, whatever you say," Rainspots meowed sarcastically.

Mudpool looked around. "We should tell Icestar and Dawnshadow where we're going first."

"Agreed," Hawkwing mewed.

The five cats strode over to the front of the leader's den. Icestar was outside chatting with Dawnshadow. When he spotted them, his ears pricked with interest.

"Hello there," Icestar greeted. "What's going on?"

"We're going out on a night patrol," Hawkwing answered. "We'll be back by tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" Icestar wondered aloud. "That's a long time."

"We thought that with all these murders happening, we might as well check them out," Mudpool meowed quickly.

Icestar shrugged, while Dawnshadow looked at them suspiciously. "Alright. Be back by tomorrow, like you promised."

"Right. Thank you, Icestar."

The five she-cats left the camp, heading towards the Great Maple. They chatted about their days, and about how great of a plan this was. When they arrived, they spotted two other cats there.

Mudpool's eyes widened when she recognized them. "Mossnose and Ravensky?"

The tortoiseshell she-cat stared at them, with an odd emotion swirling in her eyes. "What are you doing here?"

The five cats looked at each other, trying to decide whether to tell the truth or not.

"If it's something secret it's okay," Ravensky assured. "We won't tell any cat what you're doing."

Mudpool sighed. "We're heading for the Moonhill."

Mossnose stared at them in disbelief. "The Moonhill? You won't get there until sunset!"

"That's what we're aiming for," Rockpool retorted.

Ravensky looked at Mossnose. "We can let them pass, can't we?"

Mossnose rolled her eyes. "I guess so."

The two cats moved aside, and Mudpool nodded her thanks to them. They darted quickly over the hills, making sure to take cover when needed. Mudpool looked up at the sky. The sun was already setting, the sky turning a shade of pale pink and blue.

"If we want to get there by the time the moon is up, we'd better hurry!"

The group eventually made it to the Moonhill, and Mudpool's eyes widened. She had been here before, but not in a long time.

The Moonhill was a hill, of course, and instead of being grassy like the rest of BreezeClan territory, it was rocky and had tiny grasses poking out from between the cracks. In the center of four tall rocks was a pool, with a small crescent-shaped island in the middle of it. The setting sun shone down on the island, making it appear as though it were glowing.

"Now we simply wait until moonrise," Mudpool meowed.

The five cats did as instructed, and waited. It was a very long wait, and Mudpool was about to fall asleep, until she noticed that the moon had risen quickly, and was almost directly above their heads. Mudpool stared at the rest of the area and gasped. The moonlight was causing the rocks to glimmer, and they appeared as though they had tiny crystals inside of them.

"It's time," Rainspots murmured, and she settled down beside the pool. The others did as she did, and Mudpool pressed her nose to the surface of the water, and she shut her eyes.

When she opened them again, she noticed she was in StarClan territory. Looking around, she spotted Hawkwing, Rockpool, Rainspots and Tigerstripe as well.

"Are we all dreaming the same dream?" Rockpool asked.

"I... I guess so," Tigerstripe meowed. "So what do we do now?"

Mudpool looked ahead, and saw Shimmerheart padding towards them. Mudpool grinned. "We talk to Shimmerheart."

Hawkwing tilted her head. "Who's that?"

Shimmerheart sat down in front of them. "I am Shimmerheart. I visited Mudpool when she was only five moons old. Now, several moons later, I see she has gathered all the cats of the prophecy."

Mudpool looked down in embarrassment. "We came because we want answers. Why are we in the prophecy, and what is going to happen?"

Shimmerheart sighed. "I wanted you to find out on your own. But I can only tell you what I know, which isn't very much."

"That's good enough," Mudpool urged. "Please, Shimmerheart. The more you tell us, the better prepared we'll be when this event happens."

Shimmerheart looked at her. "Okay. A long time ago, before you were born, there was a cat. She was once very kind, and she was admired by many. She always put the elders and kits first, and never disobeyed her leader. But that all changed one day, when her brother, the medicine cat, cured many cats that were infected with greencough."

Mudpool looked up. "Greencough? We haven't had an outbreak of that for a long time."

"The sickness doesn't come as harshly as it used to anymore, for some reason," Shimmerheart replied. "Anyway, she grew jealous of her brother, and the attention that he recieved from the other cats. She got into a border fight with another Clan just to show everyone how skilled she really was. She was punished harshly, which only made her grow more bitter.

"Soon, she plotted to kill the leader, in the most violent way possible."

Mudpool gulped. "H-How?"

"She went into his den at night, and stabbed him in the throat with a stick," Shimmerheart continued. "It took away his remaining lives, and she simply watched as it happened. She then mutilated his body, and claimed that a fox had killed him.

"The deputy knew, however, and sent her away into exile. No cat has seen her since, except for you, Mudpool."

"I've never seen her," Mudpool countered. "I don't even know what she looks like!"

"Do you remember the cat that would walk in your nightmares?" Shimmerheart asked. "The one who, time and time again, tried to murder you?"

"I think so," Mudpool replied. "Why?"

"That is her," Shimmerheart meowed. "She was somehow born with the ability to walk in any cats dreams, even without being dead. When she was sent into exile, she abused this ability, using it to cause cats to think they were useless, and without a meaning in their lives."

"What happened to those cats?" Hawkwing asked.

"They went into fights, and let their opponents defeat them," Shimmerheart sighed. "They ended up so badly injured, they eventually died."

"That's so sad," Rockpool meowed. "Who is this cat, anyway?"

"I can't tell you that," Shimmerheart answered. "You must figure out her identity yourselves."

"But-" Mudpool tried to protest, before she was silenced by the StarClan cat.

"Go now," Shimmerheart interrupted. "It's almost dawn, and your Clan needs you now."

Mudpool gasped. "What do you mean?"

"When you left, a group of cats found out you were here. They are going to the Clan now, to eliminate the rest of your Clan."

Mudpool stared at Shimmerheart wide-eyed, as she began to fade.

"Hurry, Mudpool. You don't have much time left!"

Mudpool opened her eyes, to see that the others were waking up.

"That was so weird," Rainspots murmured. "What was she saying about those cats attacking again?"

"They are going to our Clan now!" Mudpool meowed, which almost sounded like a shriek. "They're going to murder our Clan!"

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**Aaaand, cliffhanger. Please review. Thanks!**


	13. Chapter 12

**Yay! More crappy fight scenes! :D**

* * *

**Mudpool's Path- Chapter 12**

Mudpool, along with Hawkwing, Rockpool, Rainspots and Tigerstripe, charged through the forest, scenting the air for the cats that Shimmerheart warned them about. When she crossed into her own territory, she leapt into the bushes, taking the others with her.

"Why are we hiding?" Rockpool asked. "We're in our own territory, you know."

"The rogues, or whatever those cats are, definitely aren't friendly if they're out for our Clan," Mudpool reminded her. "We need to keep an eye out for them."

"Also, if we're keeping an eye out for them, we wouldn't technically be lying to Icestar about going on a night patrol," Tigerstripe added. "It would be smart to stay hidden for now."

Lifting her nose up to scent the air, Mudpool noticed dawn was almost upon them. The Clan would soon be alert and awake.

"What I don't understand is why these cats didn't attack immediately after we left," Hawkwing meowed. "Wouldn't it be better to attack under cover of the darkness of the night?"

"True," Tigerstripe replied. "These cats clearly didn't think this plan through."

"Shh!" Rainspots hissed. "I hear something!"

They fell silent, and sure enough, Mudpool could hear bracken crackling beneath cats' paws. Listening harder, she could hear not just one set of pawsteps, but _several _of them.

"That's obviously not a patrol," Rockpool remarked. "Should we attack?"

"Wait," Mudpool sniffed the air one last time, and the fur on her shoulders rose. It was indeed rogue scent.

The pawsteps drew ever closer, and judging by Hawkwing kneading of the earth, none of them could take this anticipation any longer.

"Now!" Mudpool leapt out in front of the group of rogues. "Attack!"

Mudpool leapt on the nearest rogue, a black tom, and raked her back claws against his spine. The tom yowled, and threw her off, spitting in her face with fury.

Mudpool snarled, and slashed the tom's muzzle before ramming into him head-on. He fell back, still spitting with rage, and shoved her aside to head for camp.

"We can't let them get to the camp!" Rainspots yowled. "They'll kill everyone there!"

"Oh, you think!?" Hawkwing retorted before grabbing one of the rogues by his tail and dragging him back.

"Go after the other rogues!" Mudpool yowled to Rockpool, Rainspots and Tigerstripe. "Hawking and I can take care of this one!"

The three addressed cats looked at each other questioningly, before sprinting after the other rogues.

She flipped him over, raking her claws against his exposed belly. The tom writhed beneath her, but she didn't stop.

"Hawkwing! That's enough!" Mudpool meowed.

Hawkwing heard Mudpool, and she stepped back. Mudpool's green eyes blazed with fury at the tom.

"Why are you here?!" she demanded.

The rogue wheezed before he spoke. "Our leader... told us..."

"Told you what?!" Hawkwing demanded.

The tom panted. "To kill... Icestar..."

Mudpool felt her heart stop for a moment, then swatted the rogue across the head, sending him sprawling. The rogue struggled to his paws, still panting heavily.

"Beat it!" Hawkwing snarled, and the rogue ran off into the forest, his tail between his legs.

"Come on," Mudpool mewed. "We have to get to camp immediately!"

The two of them raced through the forest, Mudpool praying to StarClan that Icestar was okay. By the time they arrived at camp, it was too late. Every cat was in battle, even Birdwing. Unfortunately for LeafClan, they were outnumbered.

"Oh, no... no no no..." Mudpool whispered in fear. "At this rate, our Clan..."

"There's no time for that!" Hawkwing hissed. "If we don't act now, there'll only be three Clans left in the forest!"

With that, Hawkwing charged into battle, raking her claws across the flanks of any rogue she met.

_She's right_, Mudpool thought. _Now is the time for battle. I have to put my fears aside and fight for my Clan!_

Mudpool rammed into the side of a rogue, biting into their hind leg. The rogue let out a yowl, and lunged forward to give Mudpool a nasty bite to the ear. Mudpool sprang back, and felt an intense pain burning in her ear. She turned back to her attacker and slashed her claws across his muzzle, spraying blood across the camp floor.

The rogue yowled, and ran out of camp. _There's one gone_,Mudpool thought triumphantly, then turned to see Birchpaw fighting on his own against an enemy that was far bigger than himself. Mudpool let out a gutteral snarl, and leapt on the she-cat that was attacking the young apprentice.

"Mudpool! You came back!" Birchpaw cried joyously.

"No time for that, Birchpaw!" Mudpool yowled, bringing the she-cat down onto her belly. "Help me out here!"

Birchpaw nodded, and sank his teeth into the she-cat's tail while Mudpool clawed out tufts of fur with her claws. The she-cat yowled, begging for the two of them to stop. Mudpool leapt off the rogue, and she darted out of camp away from them.

Maplefrost skidded to a halt beside Birchpaw and Mudpool. "Thanks for saving my apprentice," Maplefrost meowed briskly to Mudpool, before he charged off after another rogue.

Mudpool looked at Birchpaw. "Where are Dapplepaw and Fernpaw?" she demanded.

"They're defending the nursery with Birdwing!" Birchpaw answered. "Should I go help?"

"No! Stay and guard the elders' den! Grassnose is still in there!" Mudpool darted away towards the nursery, spotting the three cats fighting against four other rogues.

"Need some help?" Mudpool offered.

Birdwing looked at her gratefully and nodded. Dapplepaw and Fernpaw were too busy with their opponents to take any notice of Mudpool's appearance.

Mudpool snarled at the rogue in front of her, and slashed at his chest. The rogue lunged forward and caught Mudpool's nose with his claw. Mudpool screeched, before leaping on top of him and slashing with all her might at his chest. She eventually drew blood, and she let him go screeching away into the forest.

"Excellent job, Mudpool," Birdwing praised. "But it isn't over yet!"

Dapplepaw and Fernpaw both leapt onto the remaining rogue, clinging to the she-cat's fur like burrs, and they both bit into her neck at the same time.

The rogue snarled and twisted, trying to dislodge the two apprentices, but they were relentless and didn't let go. The she-cat's struggles eventually grew weaker, and Mudpool stared in horror.

"Dapplepaw! Fernpaw! Let go! She knows that she's beaten!" Mudpool begged.

The two apprentices obeyed, and the rogue was sent limping as quickly as she could away from them.

Dapplepaw stared up at Mudpool indignantly. "Why didn't you let us finish her off?!"

"Yeah, we could've finally proven how loyal we are to the Clan!" Fernpaw added.

"A true warrior doesn't need to kill to prove their loyalty," Mudpool urged. "You have proven your loyalty by not letting your heritage get in the way of becoming a great warrior. Simply by fighting for your Clan here, you are proving how loyal you are to the Clan so much."

Dapplepaw and Fernpaw looked at each other solemnly. Mudpool stared past them to see Icestar and Dawnshadow, tail to tail, fighting more rogues.

_It's as though they brought every Clan in the forest with them! There's too many of them!_

Mudpool charged through the throng of cats, standing to fight beside Rockpool. "How are we doing?" she asked breathlessly.

"Tigerstripe says that not many of them are left," Rockpool panted. "They've run back off to wherever they came from."

"But Icestar and Dawnshadow are still fighting most of them," Mudpool meowed. "We need to help them!"

"Icestar's a leader with nine lives," Rockpool replied reassuringly. "He also has Dawnshadow by his side. He'll be fine!"

Mudpool gulped. "He lost a life last moon, and I was overhearing Sandfur saying something about his lives. Do you know how many he has left?"

Rockpool scoffed. "How many?"

"He only has one left, you mouse-brained imbecile!" Mudpool screeched, her green eyes blazing.

Rockpool's eyes widened in horror, and she turned to see a rogue launching himself for Icestar's throat.

After that, everything seemed to move in slow motion. The rogue latched himself onto Icestar's throat, sinking his teeth in, further and further, deeper and deeper. Blood began to pour from the massive wound, and Icestar let out a tortured screech, which was cut off by the gushing liquid. The rogue then pinned the leader to the ground, slashing at Icestar's face, leaving not much but a bloody, mangled mess.

Mudpool lunged forward, shoving the rogue out of the way, and leaned over the dying leader. Icestar's eyes had been slashed at, leaving him blind.

"Icestar..." Mudpool whispered. "I'm so sorry I left... If I knew these rogues would attack now... I... I..."

Dawnshadow nudged the young warrior gently. "Mudpool. It's over now. He's gone."

Mudpool felt a sob rise in her chest as she watched her once-powerful leader give one last shudder, before finally falling still.

One rogue let out a triumphant yowl. "Our work here is done! Icestar is dead!"

The rest of the group yowled in approval, and fled through the camp entrance.

The cats of LeafClan, however, simply looked around at the one place they once called home. Blood of their enemies and those of their own was staining the floor, and Mudpool noticed Volefur and Specklefur's dead bodies laying at the entrance to the elders' den. Mudpool stared at them. They had died protecting the only elder they had.

Rockpool and Morninglight ran to their mother's unmoving side, and Rockpool lifted her muzzle to let out a mournful yowl. Maplefrost stood next to Morninglight, allowing her to rest her head on his shoulder.

"We've lost two great warriors and our leader," Nettlepelt whispered. "All because of an unexpected attack from a group of rogues."

Hawkwing suddenly appeared at Mudpool's side, hanging her head in shame. "It's all my fault," she meowed quietly. "It was my idea to go to the Moonhill, and then this happened. If we just stayed at camp, this never would have happened..."

"Hawkwing, it isn't your fault," Mudpool soothed. "This attack was inevitable. Even if we did stay, they still would've come, and chances are, we'd be even more unprepared. It was Shimmerheart who told us about the attack, after all."

Hawkwing sighed. "Yeah... I guess you're right..."

Sandfur emerged from his den, and Mudpool guessed he had been fighting as well, judging from the scratches on his muzzle. "Is anyone seriously injured?"

Mudpool looked around, and noticed that not one cat had gotten away without an injury: Goldpetal had a shredded ear, Mosseyes had fur missing from his shoulder, Nutwhisker was limping severely, and Mudpool remembered her bleeding nose and burning ear.

Sandfur looked around, then finally spoke. "The cats that are injured the worst should come in first."

Fernpaw sprang to her paws. "I can help! What do you need me to do?"

Sandfur grinned at the apprentice's enthusiasm. "You can help those that aren't severely injured. I have herbs in my den that you can use."

Fernpaw beamed and trotted into his den.

Mudpool padded over to Dawnshadow, who was bent over Icestar's unmoving body. "I'm sorry, Dawnshadow. We tried to stop them, but..."

Dawnshadow let out a ragged sigh. "It's okay, Mudpool," she reassured. "He's in StarClan now. He'll be better off there."

"Now we have you to lead us."

Dawnshadow's ears pricked. "That's right. I have to go to the Moonhill."

"You'll also have to pick a deputy," Mudpool added. "Do you have anyone in mind?"

Dawnshadow looked at the young warrior, her blue eyes thoughtful. "I think I do."

The two cats broke away from their conversation as they spotted Sandfur padding over to them. "I wouldn't recommend going on our own to the Moonhill," the medicine cat meowed. "Not with those rogues wandering about. It would be wiser to bring a warrior with us."

Dawnshadow nodded. "I agree." She then looked at Mudpool. "Will you accompany us to the Moonhill?"

Mudpool's eyes widened. "A-Are you serious?"

The deputy nodded. "You were one of the cats that arrived at camp just in time to fight off the rogues. Even though we failed to prevent them from killing any of our cats, I watched you fight, and I think that I can trust you enough to help defend us."

Mudpool's fur prickled with embarrassment, and she looked up. "Yes, I'll come with you."

"Good. We'll leave immediately tomorrow morning. I suggest that you get to sleep as soon as Sandfur treats your wounds."

It was then that Mudpool was reminded of her injuries, and she followed Sandfur to his den.

~o~o~o~o~

The cats sprinted through the forest, their fur dripping with blood. They halted in front of the rock where their leader was waiting. The cat on the rock glared down at them with a scornful look in their eyes.

"Well?" the cat demanded. "Is Icestar dead?"

"Yes, leader," one of the cats responded. "Icestar is no longer alive. We made sure of that."

The cat sat back and purred. "Excellent. I would have though you had failed. That would have disappointed me, and you know what happens when I am displeased."

They turned their attention to the several bodies of dead cats, many of which were recently killed.

"What about the traitor?" the leader demanded. "Was he there?"

"No, leader," one of the rogues responded. "We still cannot find him."

The cat grunted. "No matter. Our attack upon the Clans is drawing near. Let's hope those mouse-brained fools are ready for us."

The assembled rogues cheered for the leader, who laid down and purred louder.

_Of course, they won't be prepared. They never have been, and they never will be._

* * *

**I'm going to ask you some questions now:**

**1: Who do you think this mysterious cat (the leader of the rogues) is? Do you think they are a tom or a she-cat?**

**2: Who do you think "the traitor" is?**

**3: Is Ravensky really a bad cat? Or is he simply misunderstood?**

**4: Do you think Dapplepaw and Fernpaw will forgive Mudpool?**

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter!**

**Oh, and by the way, WE AREN'T GOING TO DIE SOMEHOW IN THREE DAYS (on the 21st), SO CALM DOWN. **


	14. Chapter 13

**Decided to upload this before the new year. Enjoy!**

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**Mudpool's Path- Chapter 13**

Mudpool came out of the warriors' den, still sore from the battle with the rogues. She looked up and saw that the sun was already high in the sky. She padded over to the camp entrance, where Dawnshadow and Sandfur were waiting. Sandfur placed some traveling herbs in front of her.

"Eat these," Sandfur instructed. "I know you don't like them, but they'll keep your strength up."

Mudpool nodded, and, trying to prevent herself from vomiting, swallowed the herbs. She made a disgusted face. "I wish traveling herbs didn't have to taste so bad!"

"Come on," Dawnshadow meowed. "I want to get to the Moonhill quickly."

Sandfur purred. "Calm down, Dawnshadow. You're acting like a new apprentice who's about to be let out of camp for the first time."

"We'll have to be cautious," Mudpool mentioned. "We don't know if those rogues are still hanging about."

With that, the three cats squeezed through the tunnel, emerging into the forest. Dawnshadow stopped in her tracks.

"What's wrong?" Mudpool asked.

"I'll be right back." Dawnshadow turned back into the camp, leaving Sandfur and Mudpool alone. When she came back, she gave a twitch of her tail, signaling that they could go.

"I just needed to tell someone to organize patrols," Dawnshadow meowed, before padding ahead of them to lead the way.

As they sped through the forest, Mudpool took note of the orange and yellow leaves decorating the forest floor. _Seems like leaf-fall is finally here, _she thought.

They soon arrived at the stream that marked the BreezeClan border. Just as they were about to cross, a patrol consisting of Thunderstep, Whispersong, and a black and white apprentice skidded to a halt on the other side.

"Dawnshadow, Sandfur and Mudpool," Whispersong greeted as she eyed them cautiously. "What brings you here?"

"We're going to the Moonhill," Dawnshadow replied.

"Has something happened?" the apprentice asked.

Sandfur sighed. "Icestar has died."

A look of shock passed across their faces, and Whispersong bowed her head. "He was a very brave leader. I wish you the best, Dawnshadow."

"You may pass," Thunderstep meowed. "But just because we let you doesn't mean you can take our prey."

"Don't count on it," Mudpool muttered, then she turned to the apprentice. "Who's this?"

The apprentice straightened up. "I'm Hollypaw! Whispersong is my mentor!"

Whispersong purred. "She's very energetic. Do you have your own apprentice yet, Mudpool?"

"Not yet," Mudpool sighed, remembering how much she wanted Birchpaw as her apprentice. "But Birdwing just had two kits, so maybe I'll have one of them as my apprentice."

"Mudpool!" Dawnshadow called, already having crossed the stream. "Hurry up! We don't want to be too late!"

Mudpool leapt over the stream, meowed a goodbye to the patrol, and quickly padded over to Dawnshadow.

"Sorry," Mudpool meowed. "I was held up."

"Well, you better hope you won't be held up anymore," Dawnshadow snapped. "We need to be there before Moonhigh, and we still have BreezeClan territory to cross!"

Sandfur slowed down to pad beside Mudpool.

"Don't worry," he meowed. "She's still grieving. She was very fond of Icestar."

"Well of course she was," Mudpool replied. "He was the leader, and she was his deputy, after all."

"That's not it," Sandfur whispered. "Not entirely anyway. She longed to be his mate since they were apprentices. But when he made her his deputy, she eventually accepted that she couldn't have kits with him, let alone be his mate, if it meant she had to give up her position as deputy."

"Was she really that ambitious?"

"It was never ambition," Sandfur assured. "She wanted to make him happy in a different way; by being his deputy."

Mudpool thought about this for a while, and turned back to him. "What about you?" When Sandfur stared at her in confusion, she added, "If you ever fell in love with a cat in the Clan, what would you do?"

Sandfur looked up at the sky, which was quickly darkening. "I'm a medicine cat, so I can never have a mate. But, if I ever stumbled along the right cat for me, then I would tell her. If we did end up hitting it off, I would give up my medicine cat duties just so that I could be with her."

"You can't do that though," Mudpool reminded him. "You don't have an apprentice, so there'd be no one else to take your place."

"I wouldn't be so sure," Sandfur mewed. "Fernpaw has mentioned to me that she'd like to be the next medicine cat."

"She doesn't like being a warrior?"

"Unfortunately, no," Sandfur sighed. "She told me that it was no longer fun going out into battle, having to see cats being injured left and right."

_I beg to differ, _Mudpool thought, remembering the battle with the rogues when she almost killed one of them.

"I have talked to Streamtail though, about making her my apprentice," Sandfur meowed. "After thinking it over he agreed, and we just have to talk to Dawnshadow about it, after she becomes the leader."

Mudpool stared at him and tilted her head. "Why are you so hung up on wanting an apprentice? You're still so young, you're only a couple of moons older than I am!"

Sandfur purred. "It's always good to be prepared, isn't it? Besides, I-" He stopped himself, his eyes wide, and he turned his head away, focusing on the path ahead of them.

Mudpool shrugged, wondering why he had stopped talking so suddenly. She brushed the thought away, as they approached the Moonhill.

Dawnshadow looked up at the sky. The sun was setting over the hills, casting its light across them.

"We still have time before we can start the ceremony," Sandfur meowed. "We can wait and rest."

"I'll watch out for any rogues," Mudpool offered.

The time passed slower than she thought it would, and she saw no sign of rogues anywhere. _Maybe we scared them off, _Mudpool thought.

She jumped as she felt Sandfur's tail on her shoulder. "It's time," he meowed.

She padded back over to the pond, where the moonlight danced off of the tiny ripples in the water.

"Wait, so I can see the ceremony as well?" Mudpool asked.

"We aren't sure," Sandfur meowed. "It's never been done before, but we can try."

Mudpool gulped, wondering if the ceremony would fail just because a warrior was there with them.

The three of them pressed their noses to the cold water, shutting their eyes. When Mudpool opened them again, she saw that she was in StarClan's territory once again. Looking beside her, she saw Sandfur and Dawnshadow.

"What if they don't accept me as the leader?" Dawnshadow fretted. "What if they think I don't deserve it?"

"When we got out of camp, you were so excited to get here," Sandfur remarked. "What ever happened to that attitude? Anyways, they'll accept you, don't worry."

Mudpool looked ahead, noticing mist gathering in front of them. The mist began to swirl, and it soon formed an enormous group of cats, all who stared at them with fond eyes.

One of the cats stepped forward, and Mudpool recognized the cat as Icestar.

"Welcome," he purred. "I see that you have brought Mudpool with you."

"That's not going to stop me from getting my nine lives, is it?" Dawnshadow asked nervously.

"Normally, we would ask the warrior to leave," Icestar replied. "But we have an important matter to discuss with Mudpool after this is over."

Mudpool gulped and she glanced nervously at the former LeafClan leader.

"But now isn't the time for that. Now is the time for Dawnshadow's leader ceremony."

Icestar stepped forward and touched his nose to Dawnshadow's forehead. "With this life, I give you bravery. Know that bravery is not being fearless, but being afraid of something, and not letting that get in the way of doing what you know is right."

Almost immediately after, Dawnshadow's fur went on end, and she winced. Mudpool stared in shock.

"Is this supposed to happen?" she asked Sandfur, who nodded in response.

Dawnshadow opened her eyes again, and Mudpool saw another cat rise to their paws and come forward. Mudpool recognized the cat almost immediately as Twistedfoot.

"My sister," he murmured. "I'm so proud that I have been honored to give you one of your lives."

He pressed his nose to Dawnshadow's. "With this life, I give you compassion, so that you may protect all those around you, young and old."

Dawnshadow's jaw tightened, and she squeezed her eyes shut as the life coursed through her.

She didn't have much time to recover, when the third cat approached. Mudpool's heart nearly leapt out of her chest. _Petalbloom!_

The cream and white she-cat bent down to her. "With this life, I give you love. Use it to care for those in your Clan as if they were your own kits."

Dawnshadow braced herself, as her tail went erect and she sank her claws into the ground. She was panting by the time she had recovered. "I have to be strong..." she murmured to herself, as the fourth cat approached. Mudpool saw that this cat looked strikingly like Dawnshadow.

Dawnshadow stared in surprise. "Mother... is that really you?"

The StarClan cat purred. "I am so proud of you, my precious daughter." She pressed her nose to Dawnshadow's, her eyes glowing with wisdom and love. "With this life, I give you hope. Use it in times of trouble, when you are uncertain of things to come."

Dawnshadow's body relaxed, and she let out a gentle sigh. Mudpool couldn't help but purr, as the pair exchanged a happy glance with each other, before the StarClan cat's place was taken by another cat.

"My name is Pebblestar," he meowed. "I was the leader of LeafClan long ago, and I am pleased to give you your fifth life." He bent his head down to touch the top of Dawnshadow's. "With this life, I give you honesty. When you make promises, hold the truth in them until the end."

Dawnshadow winced, but it was noticeable that she was becoming stronger with every life given to her.

Mudpool's eyes widened in joy as she saw the next cat. "Thrushflight... My father..."

"With this life, I give you trust," Thrushflight murmured. "Never feel as though you are alone. Trust in those around you, and in StarClan." As he gave her the life, Dawnshadow closed her eyes and sighed calmly.

Thrushflight moved aside as his place was taken by another tom. Sandfur let out a happy squeal. "Blacktail!"

Blacktail looked at him and purred, and bent down to touch his nose to Dawnshadow's head. "With this life I give you patience. When things may seem bleak, patience will bring good things in time."

Mudpool was happy to see the next cat, Cloudstorm. His pelt shone like that of a young warrior's, and he no longer appeared as though he were to join the elders at any time. He wasted no time in giving Dawnshadow her next life.

"I give you a life for loyalty," he meowed. "Be loyal to your Clan, and to your Clanmates, as they will assist you through your leadership."

Mudpool looked around, wanting to know who would be the cat to give Dawnshadow her ninth life. She was surprised to see Specklefur, who was once Rockpool and Morninglight's mother, step forward.

The tortoiseshell she-cat gazed at Dawnshadow. "You were my best friend when I was alive. We fought side by side in battle. You helped me more times than I can count, and now I give to you your final life."

Specklefur pressed her nose to Dawnshadow's. "With this life, I give you wisdom. When decisions are hard to make, use this life to make the right one."

Dawnshadow's eyes gleamed with gratitude. "Thank you... Thank you all of you!"

Icestar stepped forward. "I hail you by your new name, Dawnstar. Your old life is no more. You have now recieved the nine lives of a leader, and StarClan grants you the guardianship of LeafClan. Defend it well; care for young and old; honor your ancestors and the traditions of the warrior code; live each life with pride and dignity."

The StarClan cats lifted their muzzles to call out the name of the new leader. "Dawnstar! Dawnstar!"

Mudpool and Sandfur exchanged a glance, and joined in the cheering. "Dawnstar! Dawnstar!"

The cheering soon died down, and Icestar let his gaze travel over all of them. "None of you must tell any cat what you have witnessed here."

"We promise," the three cats meowed in unison.

"Now Mudpool," Icestar turned to the brown tabby she-cat. "Come with me for a moment."

"Hold on," Dawnstar stopped them. "What do you need to discuss with her?"

Icestar looked at Mudpool, and she nodded. "It won't be long before Dawnstar finds out, and Sandfur already knows."

Icestar sighed, and looked at them. "A group of cats plotted to kill me. That is why they attacked camp yesterday."

Dawnstar gasped, and Sandfur simply stared in utter shock.

"The war between LeafClan and the rogues isn't over yet. They will keep coming, in stronger numbers, until every cat is gone. Mudpool, there is a cat who may know more about what is happening than I do."

"Who is it?" Mudpool demanded.

"You must figure this out yourself," Icestar meowed calmly. "I suggest looking to those who are older than you, perhaps remind yourself of a conversation once held between two cats."

Mudpool was about to ask what he meant, when the StarClan cats began to fade.

"Go with courage, Mudpool," Icestar urged. "You are LeafClan's only hope."

Mudpool's eyes snapped open, only to see the pond of the Moonhill in front of her. She looked beside her to see that Sandfur and Dawnstar were waking up.

"What did Icestar mean?" Mudpool asked. "How can there be a cat in LeafClan who might know something about what is happening?"

"He did say to remind yourself of a conversation held long ago," Sandfur meowed. "Do you remember anything like that?"

Mudpool racked her brain, trying to remember, when suddenly her thoughts were interrupted by Dawnstar.

"We must get going," the new leader meowed. "Dawn is near, and I haven't made my deputy yet."

"Right," Sandfur turned to Mudpool. "Don't worry, Mudpool. We'll find out in time who this cat is."

Mudpool nodded, not completely believing him. _Why can't I remember who this cat was, or what that conversation was about?_

~o~o~o~o~

When they finally arrived back at camp, Mudpool saw that the rest of the Clan was waiting for them.

"Look! There she is!" Nettlepelt meowed excitedly. The Clan stared at Dawnstar, who was making her way to the Highbranch.

"I think she'll be making her deputy now!"

"Will she know what to do?"

"She's the Clan Leader! Of course she'll know what to do!"

Mudpool padded over to Hawkwing, Rockpool, Rainspots and Tigerstripe. Hawkwing looked up at her.

"How was it?" Hawkwing demanded. "Did you see StarClan?"

"It wasn't my leader ceremony!" Mudpool purred. "Besides, I can't tell any cat what I saw."

When Hawkwing looked down in disappointment, Mudpool added, "But I thought it would be wise to try and gather clues about who this cat is. You know, the one that keeps visiting me in my dreams and won't leave me alone."

"That sounds like a good idea," Tigerstripe meowed. "But-"

She was interrupted by Dawnstar, who was calling the Clan for a meeting. Mudpool gathered beneath the Highbranch with the rest of her Clanmates, settling down beside Sandfur.

"As you all know, I am your new leader," Dawnstar meowed. "Icestar was noble and brave, and I hope that he honors my decision for the new deputy." She straightened up, and began the ceremony.

"I say these words before StarClan, that the spirits of our warrior ancestors may hear and approve of my choice. The new deputy of LeafClan shall be Snowstorm."

Mudpool felt her heart leap with pride as she watched her sister step forward.

"Thank you, Dawnstar, and thank you everyone," Snowstorm looked around at the Clan. "I promise, I will be the greatest deputy I can be, and I hope to earn the respect of all of you."

With that, the Clan broke out into a chorus of cheers. "Snowstorm! Snowstorm!"

After the ceremony was over, Mudpool gathered in the warriors' den with Hawkwing and the others.

"So, what do you think we should do?" Hawkwing asked.

"I don't even know," Mudpool answered, hanging her head. "I'm not even sure where to start."

"It'll come to you in time," Rainspots assured her. "We should still try to look for clues and figure out what's going to happen."

"Right. There's also no sense in worrying about the future," Tigerstripe added. "If we do that, we'll waste all of our time, and it'll be too late."

"Maybe we could look for suspects," Rockpool put in. "You know, sneaking around the territories..."

"Rockpool, that's a terrible idea," Hawkwing meowed. "I mean, how do you think-"

"Actually, that's not a bad idea," Mudpool interrupted. "Think about it; what other Clan has had an encounter with rogues? What other Clan is closer to the rogues than we think?"

The cats fell silent for a moment, and Hawkwing's ears perked up. "MistClan! They have Ravensky!"

"Exactly, so what we should do is keep a close eye on Ravensky and see what he does, and maybe we'll figure out what's going on."

"I just hope this is going to work," Mudpool meowed. "If this plan fails, we'll be too late, and LeafClan won't exist anymore."

* * *

**So, who do you think the cat that can help them is? **

**I'm so happy you guys are actually enjoying this. I honestly thought it was going to crash, burn, explode and die. **

**Anyways, I hope you all have a Happy New Year!**


	15. Chapter 14

**Yay! New chapter!**

* * *

**Mudpool's Path- Chapter 14**

"Nightclaw, I want you to take Mosseyes, Goldpetal and Streamtail out on a border patrol," Snowstorm instructed. The black tom nodded, heading to the warriors' den to fetch the warriors.

Mudpool padded into the medicine den. "How are you and your new apprentice getting along?" she asked Sandfur.

Fernpaw didn't make eye contact with Mudpool, but Sandfur greeted her warmly. "She already knows most of the herbs, and it's only been a moon since I took her on."

"That sounds good to hear," Mudpool purred. "Speaking of which, Dapplepaw's been saying that her warrior assessment is today. If she passes, Dawnstar will make her a warrior."

"I thought Dapplepaw wasn't talking to you," Sandfur mentioned quietly, with a sideways glance at Fernpaw, who seemed not to hear.

"Birchpaw's been telling me."

"I see."

Mudpool turned away. "I think I'll go give her some tips before she has to go."

Before Mudpool could leave, Sandfur stopped her with his tail. "Mudpool, you can't interfere with her assessment. She has to do this on her own."

The brown she-cat rolled her eyes. "I'm only going to help her out a little bit. It's not like I'm going to be doing everything for her."

Sandfur simply stared at her, and purred. "Stubborn as ever, I see." He turned back to the back of his den to sort out his herbs.

Mudpool bounded out of camp, spotting Dapplepaw practicing pouncing. "Hey! Dapplepaw!"

The tortoiseshell she-cat whirled around, and scowled as Mudpool approached. "What do you want?" she asked flatly.

"I was just wondering if you needed some help," Mudpool replied as innocently as she could.

"I don't need your help," Dapplepaw meowed without making eye contact. "I can do this on my own."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes! Now just go!"

Mudpool sighed, beginning to head back to camp, when she heard Dapplepaw give a grunt of annoyance after failing to land her pounce. Mudpool stared at Dapplepaw again, who was getting up to try it again.

"Please, let me help you just this once," Mudpool pleaded.

Dapplepaw rolled her eyes. "Alright, fine."

Mudpool pressed the young apprentice down towards the ground. "Remember to stay low. The trick is to keep your tail down so the prey won't notice you."

Dapplepaw lowered her tail as instructed. "Like this?"

"Good!" Mudpool praised. "Now tuck your forepaws under your shoulders. You'll get a better jump that way."

Dapplepaw shuffled her paws, getting into position, and sprang forward. She landed gracefully a little ways ahead of where she was before. "Thanks, Mudpool."

"You're welcome," Mudpool purred. "Do you need anymore help?"

"No, I think I'll be okay," Dapplepaw then looked up at her, an unknown emotion filling her gaze. "By the way... I'm sorry for how I acted when Fernpaw and I figured out we were rogues. It's just... I wasn't expecting something like that, that's all. So for you not telling us about where we really came from... I forgive you for that, and I'm sorry that I didn't earlier."

Mudpool could feel her heart swell with emotion. "Thank you, Dapplepaw. I'm so happy to hear you forgive me." Then something else clicked in her mind. "What about Fernpaw?"

"She'll forgive you eventually," Dapplepaw reassured her. "She's bound to come around in time!"

"Okay, thanks Dapplepaw. Good luck with your assessment."

Mudpool went back to camp, and spotted Snowstorm gathering some cats in front of the Highbranch.

"Snowstorm!" Mudpool called. "Do you need me for anything?"

Her sister beamed. "Yes, actually! I need you to patrol the MistClan border with Nutwhisker and Mosseyes. Can you do that for me?"

Mudpool nodded. "We'll be back in no time!"

The group padded out of camp, the sun already high in the sky.

"If we want to make it back before sunset, we best hurry," Mosseyes meowed. He marked his scent at the border, and Mudpool padded farther along the stream, sniffing the air for any sign of intruders.

Movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention. She darted behind a bush, staring farther along the border.

"Mudpool!" Nutwhisker's meow startled her. "Where are you?"

"I saw a mouse!" she lied. "I'll be right back!"

She crept farther up, trying to see what had caught her eye before. She soon realized she had crossed the border leading to the Great Maple. She shrugged, and squinted towards the BreezeClan border. She saw a black cat dragging an equally-sized creature into BreezeClan's territory. Looking closer, Mudpool noticed it was cat he was dragging.

Could that be the murderer? Mudpool thought with alarm. She soon shook the thought away. They wouldn't show themselves in broad daylight. But still, where's BreezeClan's patrol? They're always out by now.

The black cat dropped the body when they got past the border, who looked around nervously, and ran off into MistClan's territory.

That cat seemed awfully familiar, Mudpool thought. Her eyes widened when she remembered the distinct white tip on the cat's tail. _Only one cat in MistClan has a marking like that! _

She looked from side to side, making sure that no cat noticed her cross the BreezeClan border. She ran up to the unmoving body, and her mouth popped open as she recognized it as the body of the BreezeClan deputy, Daisypetal. The white she-cat's face was mangled, and her neck and legs twisted at awkward angles.

"This can't be..." Mudpool whispered in horror. "He can't have done this..."

Mudpool stumbled back to her own territory, making sure to catch a mouse so that Nutwhisker wouldn't suspect she had been doing something else. She saw that the two toms were already back at camp, their eyes narrowed.

"Where have you been?" Nutwhisker demanded.

"I went after that mouse," Mudpool chuckled nervously. "I got it."

"It shouldn't have taken you that long," Mosseyes pointed out. "Where you doing anything else?"

Well, my plan failed spectacularly, Mudpool thought. "I just wanted to check farther along the border," she meowed quickly. "Can't be too careful, right?"

Nutwhisker eyed her suspiciously. "Well, alright, if you say so..."

As Nutwhisker and Mosseyes headed for the warriors' den, Mudpool let out a relieved sigh. If they figured out she had crossed the BreezeClan border, she'd be crow-food. She placed the mouse on the fresh-kill pile, and spotted some of other warriors sharing tongues outside, including Hawkwing and Rockpool. She raced up to them.

"I just saw something that you won't believe," Mudpool mewed rather loudly. Riverflower and Nightclaw stared at her as though she had grown a second head.

Hawkwing stared at her. "What? What did you see?"

Mudpool flicked her tail. "Not here. And not until Rainspots and Tigerstripe get back from hunting."

Rockpool got up, stretching her legs. "Well, alright then. I guess that means we have to go out of camp again."

Mudpool, Hawkwing and Rockpool stood watch for Rainspots and Tigerstripe outside, who soon arrived carrying a small thrush and mouse, both surprisingly small.

"Is that all you were able to find?" Mudpool asked.

Tigerstripe nodded. "I know it's almost leaf-bare, but this is just plain pathetic! We don't normally have this little prey running about."

"It's weird," Rainspots meowed through a mouthful of feathers. "We looked everywhere for prey, but this was everything we could find."

"We don't have time to discuss missing prey!" Hawkwing snapped impatiently. "Not now, anyway. Mudpool has something she needs to say."

When Rainspots and Tigerstripe returned, they settled beside a bush, hidden from the rest of the Clan.

"So, what's on your mind?" Rainspots asked.

Mudpool gulped. "I saw a cat kill Daisypetal."

Rockpool's eyes widened. "The BreezeClan deputy?"

"No, the other Daisypetal," Hawkwing replied flatly. "Of course she means the BreezeClan deputy!"

"Who would do something like that?" Rainspots wondered aloud.

"Don't freak out here," Mudpool urged. "But the cat I saw that was dragging her around... Was Ravensky."

Nothing but shocked silence met her words. The first cat to break the silence was Hawkwing. "I knew he was trouble, the second we killed that fox!"

"Let's not jump to any conclusions," Rainspots soothed. "Did you actually see him kill her, Mudpool?"

"Well, no," Mudpool admitted.

"Then that means Ravensky could still be innocent," Tigerstripe meowed. "Of course, we don't know that for sure."

"Maybe we could ask him," Rockpool suggested. "We could do that at the coming Gathering."

"True, but we'd have to be careful with Mossnose," Mudpool reminded them. "He's hardly ever seen without her. She's also kind of protective around him."

"Okay, so we talk to Ravensky when he isn't with Mossnose on the night of the Gathering?" Tigerstripe asked. "Is that the plan?"

"That's the plan," Mudpool concluded. "Now let's get back to camp. Dapplepaw's warrior ceremony is going to be soon."

~o~o~o~o~

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highbranch for a Clan meeting!"

Dawnstar's voice rang out across the clearing, and the cats wasted no time in obeying their leader's orders. Dapplepaw sat with her chest out and head high as the ceremony began.

Dawnstar raised her voice. "I, Dawnstar, leader of LeafClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn." Looking down at Dapplepaw, she continued. "Dapplepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Dapplepaw took in a deep breath. "I do."

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. From this moment, you will be known as Dapplescar, in honor of what has scarred you, but has not stopped you from becoming a warrior. StarClan honors your determination and courage, and we welcome you as a full warrior of LeafClan."

Dawnstar rested her muzzle on Dapplescar's head, who gave the leader's shoulder a respectful lick.

"Dapplescar! Dapplescar!" The voices of the Clan were clear, and Mudpool made sure to cheer as loud as she possibly could. She padded past the rest of the cats to Dapplescar.

"Do you like your new name?" Mudpool asked carefully, hoping that Dapplescar wasn't offended a bit by the name.

To her relief, Dapplescar's eyes brightened. "Of course! My name sounds tough, like a real warrior!"

Mudpool let out a sigh, and she spotted Dawnstar approaching them. "Dapplescar, don't forget you have your vigil tonight."

"Oh right!" Dapplescar dashed away from them, out of the entrance to stand guard over the camp.

Dawnstar looked at Mudpool. "Did I do good? I didn't mess up the words?"

"Not that I know of," Mudpool reassured her.

"Thank StarClan," Dawnstar let out a sigh of relief. "I tried my hardest to remember what Icestar would say when he named warriors." Dawnstar looked up at the darkening sky, her eyes distant. "Do you think he'd be proud of me?"

Mudpool nodded. "He doesn't have an excuse not to be, so of course he is."

Dawnstar sighed. "I just wish StarClan knew more about this threat to the forest. We can't figure this all out on our own."

"Maybe we can find out more at the Gathering," Mudpool suggested. "We could ask the other Clans if they've seen anything strange happening."

"That's true," Dawnstar meowed. "I can ask the leaders, and maybe you could ask the other cats."

"Sounds like a plan."

_But there's only one cat I have to ask,_ she thought.

~o~o~o~o~

Mudpool padded past the Twoleg path, on her way to the Gathering. Dawnstar decided to bring her, as well as Nutwhisker, Riverflower, Morninglight, Maplefrost, Tigerstripe, Dapplescar, and Birchpaw. Mudpool and Tigerstripe were discussing their plan to interrogate Ravensky.

"When do you think he'll even be away from Mossnose?" Mudpool asked.

"When he's talking to the other cats, maybe?" Tigerstripe replied. "Seriously, he's got to be away from Mossnose at some point."

When they arrived at the Great Maple, Mudpool scanned the crowd for any sign of the black cat. Sure enough, she spotted him, luckily away from Mossnose, talking to Thunderstep, the BreezeClan cat.

Mudpool and Tigerstripe approached him slowly. Ravensky took note of this, and invited them over with a friendly wave of his tail.

"Mudpool! It's good to see you again," he greeted warmly. "Did you hear? Thunderstep is the new BreezeClan deputy."

Mudpool tried to look as though she didn't know what he was talking about. "What happened to Daisypetal?"

She noticed Ravensky's eyes had the smallest hint of fear in them, but it was soon gone. "She was killed on the border."

"Really?" Mudpool asked innocently. "That's too bad. By the way, can Tigerstripe and I talk to you in private for a moment?"

"Of course," Ravensky replied warily. The three of them padded into the bushes, away from the rest of the Clans. He tilted his head. "So, what do you need to ask?"

Mudpool narrowed her eyes. "Why did you kill Daisypetal?"

Ravensky didn't reply right away. He simply stared at her in shock, his eyes wide. "What are you talking about?"

"Don't play dumb," Mudpool hissed. "I saw you on the BreezeClan border. You were dragging her by the scruff of her neck. What did you do to her, and why did you do that to her?"

"I... I..." Ravensky stuttered for words. "I didn't do it!"

"When are you going to give this act up?" The hair on Tigerstripe's neck rose, and she looked ready to claw his eyes out. "You're the one who's been murdering all these cats, aren't you?"

"No!" Ravensky retorted, his calmness gone, replaced by defiance. "What would make you think I'd want to murder the Clans?"

"You were once a rogue," Tigerstripe snarled. "How do we know we can trust you?"

"Dapplepaw and Fernpaw were rogues," Ravensky pointed out. "How do you know you can trust them?"

Mudpool's eyes widened. "How did you find out they're rogues?"

Before Ravensky could reply, Mossnose's voice could be heard through the bushes. "Ravensky? Are you in here?" Her head popped in through the leaves, and she gasped. "What's going on here?"

"Your mate is a liar, Mossnose!" Mudpool told her. "He's the one who murdered Daisypetal!"

* * *

**Yay! More cliffhangers!**


	16. Chapter 15

**... Just read it. **

* * *

**Mudpool's Path- Chapter 15**

"Mudpool, that's the silliest thing I've ever heard," Mossnose groaned. "Ravensky isn't a liar, nor is he a murderer. Where in the name of StarClan did you hear such things?"

"I saw him on the BreezeClan border," Mudpool insisted. "Daisypetal was there too, and when I saw them, Daisypetal was dead!"

Mossnose stared at Ravensky, her eyes wide. "Is that true?"

Ravensky sighed. "It's true that I was at the BreezeClan border, and that Daisypetal was killed there-"

"See?" Mudpool interrupted. "I told you!"

"But Daisypetal was already dead by the time I got there," Ravensky continued. "So I dragged her back to her territory. I didn't want anyone from our Clan to see me on BreezeClan territory, so I was a little cautious."

Mudpool and Tigerstripe exchanged a glance. "So you didn't kill Daisypetal?" Tigerstripe asked. "Then who did?"

"My guess would be a rogue," Ravensky mewed. "Your Clan was attacked by that group of rogues just last moon, so maybe there are still some hanging around."

Mudpool tilted her head to the side. "How did you find out about that?"

"Thunderstep was telling me that you had to cross BreezeClan territory to get to the Moonhill since Icestar died," Ravensky replied. "And some of your warriors were talking about the rogues at the last Gathering."

Mossnose stared at Mudpool expectantly. "Well? Is there something you would like to say to Ravensky?"

Mudpool sighed, scuffling her paws on the ground. "I'm sorry that I accused you of murdering Daisypetal, and that I called you a liar."

"That's alright, Mudpool. I forgive you," Ravensky reassured. "But this is serious. That rogue attack was obviously provoked somehow."

"I agree," Tigerstripe meowed. "When the rogues killed Icestar, they left instantly. It's as though Icestar had done something to them in the past."

"Rogues can be a complicated bunch," Ravensky put in. "They are capable of killing without having a good reason, but this is different. This time it seems as though they're trying to get some sort of revenge on the Clans."

"It does seem that way doesn't it?" Mudpool turned to Ravensky. "Thanks for clearing things up. And sorry about accusing you of murder."

"If you need to know anything else about rogues or anything, just come and see us," Ravensky meowed. "We'll be happy to help, won't we, Mossnose?"

His mate nodded reluctantly, not appearing as though she wanted to forgive Mudpool that easily.

Mudpool and Tigerstripe backed out of the bush, bumping into Wavestripe from MistClan. Tigerstripe meowed an apology, and trotted off to the rest of the Clan. Mudpool was about to go with her, when Wavestripe stopped her.

"Hi, Mudpool!" Wavestripe greeted. "How have you been?"

"I can safely say I've done better," Mudpool replied. "And you?"

"We haven't been doing the best," Wavestripe admitted. "For one thing, we don't have any apprentices or queens yet. Marshpelt and Reedstripe have also recently moved to the elders' den."

"Isn't Reedstripe the cat that attacked Nutwhisker on the border all those moons ago?" Mudpool asked.

Wavestripe let out a mrrow of laughter. "I can't believe you still remember that, but yes, that's the same Reedstripe."

"That was my most memorable border patrol," Mudpool sighed. The she chuckled. "On the way back I caught a frog for Blacktail. He and Grassnose were in the elders' den talking about-"

She immediately stopped. It was what she was looking for since meeting with StarClan at the Moonhill. The cat that StarClan had been talking about. The cat that held the conversation that could very well save the Clans.

_Grassnose is the cat!_ Mudpool thought joyously. _Grassnose knows who the murderer is!_

"Hey! Mudpool!"

Mudpool was brought back to reality by Wavestripe, who was staring at her oddly. "You just completely zoned out for a moment. Are you alright?"

"I'm better than alright!" Mudpool replied, her voice high-pitched in excitement.

Wavestripe shrugged. "Okay. By the way, the Gathering is over, now."

Mudpool looked around, noticing that Dawnstar was calling to the rest of LeafClan to leave. "Right. Bye Wavestripe!"

Mudpool padded up alongside Tigerstripe, who was chatting with Sandfur. Sandfur turned his head, his eyes gleaming with warmth. "You look happy tonight, Mudpool."

"I am." Mudpool leaned over to whisper in Tigerstripe's ear. "I know the cat who can tell us more about the cat that keeps visiting me in my dreams. Tell the others to meet me in the elders' den when we get back."

"You know, just because you're whispering doesn't mean I can't hear you," Sandfur pointed out. "I'm standing right here. Anyways, you can't go to the elders' den."

Mudpool's eyes went round with curiosity and slight frustration. "Why not?"

"Grassnose is sick," Sandfur informed her. "I don't want any other cats to get sick, and I don't want him to get any more sick than he already is."

"Then why did you let Fernpaw stay behind and tend to him?" Mudpool retorted. "She's only an apprentice."

"That's different," Sandfur mewed calmly. "She's a medicine cat. She knows what she's doing."

"Please Sandfur, just let us see him," Mudpool begged. "We only want to ask him something."

Sandfur stared at her for a while, and he finally sighed. "Alright. But not for too long. He's a very old cat, and he needs his rest."

Mudpool rubbed her cheek against his, causing him to stiffen. "Thanks, Sandfur."

As soon as they returned to camp, Mudpool rushed to the elders' den. Peeking in, she saw Grassnose laying down in his nest, with Fernpaw tending to him. He looked up at Mudpool, purring. "Hello, Mudpool. You haven't come to visit me in a while. How was the Gathering?"

"It was great," Mudpool replied. "You don't mind if my friends and I talk with you, do you?"

"I was just about to get to sleep," Grassnose rasped. "But alright. When are your friends coming?"

Just then, Tigerstripe entered the den, with Hawkwing, Rockpool and Rainspots following closely behind. Hawkwing yawned. "Mudpool, couldn't this have waited until morning?"

"No," Mudpool meowed flatly, settling down beside Grassnose. "This is much too important."

"Do you need any more help?" Fernpaw asked Grassnose gently.

The elder shook his head. "But remind me to tell Sandfur what a great apprentice he has!" Fernpaw purred and exited the den. Grassnose turned back to the five she-cats assembled in front of him. "Now, what would you like to know?"

Mudpool thought hard, back to the day when he was talking with Blacktail. When she finally remembered who the cat they were talking about was, she spoke up. "Can you tell us about the cat who was exiled?"

Grassnose let out a throaty chuckle. "Now there's a story the kits have never gotten too old for! Lay down for a while and let me tell you." As they did as he instructed, he began his story. "Many moons ago, when I was still a warrior, just before any of you were born, there was a young she-cat. She was Blacktail and Dawnstar's sister, Shadowfoot. She was well respected by the Clans, for her bravery and skills in fighting. Blacktail was the medicine cat, and she and her sister constantly bickered over who would be deputy first.

"She was very kind, and she felt upset when Dawnstar wasn't chosen to be deputy. In fact, it was Icestar, who was known at the time as Iceclaw, who was chosen. Dawnstar told her sister it was okay and that it didn't matter, so luckily that didn't last long. However..."

Mudpool flicked her tail expectantly. "What happened?"

"Greencough broke out among the Clan," the elder continued, his voice taking on a more darker tone. "The leader even lost a life because of it. No cat knew what to do. Luckily, Blacktail found catmint growing outside of the Twoleg nest in our territory. He healed our Clan just in time, and he was celebrated as one of the greatest medicine cats in the history of the Clans. The only thing was that Shadowfoot didn't like it. She grew jealous of the attention he got, and she began to hate him because of it. She did everything she could to get the attention she once held back, including causing a border fight to prove how strong she really was."

"Did the Clan punish her?" Rockpool asked.

"Very harshly," Grassnose answered. "This only made the situation worse, however. She grew even more bitter, and soon resorted to killing to make her point of how angry she was, and how badly she wanted attention."

The she-cats stared at him in shock. "What did she do next?" Rainspots inquired.

"She snuck into the leader's den at night, with the sharpest branch she could find clenched between her jaws," Grassnose growled. "She stabbed the leader straight through his throat with it, and she used her claws to rip his body apart. She discarded the branch in the forest, and let out a yowl of remorse, claiming a fox had gotten the leader."

Mudpool gasped. "She did that?!"

Grassnose nodded. "No cat knew it was her at the time, since she made very sure to cover up her tracks. She washed her bloodied paws in the stream, she kicked dirt over her bloody pawprints so no one would recognize them as hers, and she even made sure her scent wasn't on him by rubbing his blood all over his body to disguise her scent. There was only one thing she didn't think of though."

They leaned closer, urging him to go on.

"That thing just so happened to have been Iceclaw, who had seen the whole thing take place. Since she had completely stripped the leader of his remaining lives, and Iceclaw was the leader, he sent her into exile, renaming her Shadowheart after her heart that was now as black as a bottomless hole. She vowed revenge on the Clans, to get them back for kicking her out, and no one has seen her since. In fact, no cat knows if she's still alive or not."

"But if she is, we should keep an eye out for her, right?" Mudpool suggested.

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about Shadowheart now," Grassnose reassured her. "She's quite likely dead by now. She was Blacktail's age."

"But Blacktail wasn't even that old when he died," Mudpool pressed. "As well, Blacktail only went to the elders' den because he thought that Sandfur could get the job done better. Shadowheart would also be Dawnstar's age, who's the leader now."

"That's true." Grassnose yawned, laying his head between his paws. "Did you like the story? You can come back again anytime you want to hear it."

"Yes, thank you, Grassnose," Mudpool got up and stretched. "Goodnight."

The five of them walked out of the elders' den, heading for the warriors' den. Mudpool ducked underneath the branches of the spruce tree, curling up next to Silverclaw in her nest. She whispered goodnight to her friends, and she shut her eyes.

She didn't go to sleep though. She wanted and wanted that cat to visit her again, so that she could talk with them. When Mudpool opened her eyes, she was in the same barren field that she was in in the last dream.

_Perfect,_ Mudpool thought. _That definitely means they're here. _

Shadows swirled in front of her, and the shape of a cat with glowing amber eyes stared at her. Bones rattled and echoed in the cold air, but Mudpool didn't flinch. She came here to talk, not be scared out of her wits. "Well, well, well," the cat cooed. "Look who decided to come and visit me again. I can't begin to tell you how much I've missed you, Mudpool!"

"I know who you are now," Mudpool snarled, baring her teeth and fluffing her pelt out to twice its size. "You're Shadowheart, the cat who was exiled long ago."

The shadowy cat paced circles around her, purring. "Well of course I am. I can't believe it took you that long to find that out. How long was it? At least six moons since you first heard of me?"

"I didn't come here to be taunted, Shadowheart," Mudpool snapped. "Tell me why you hate me so much!"

"Oh, Mudpool," Shadowheart meowed, her voice as gentle as a newleaf breeze. "I don't hate you. In fact, I despise you."

"Why?"

"Don't you remember Shimmerheart telling you I can walk in the dreams of living cats?" When Mudpool nodded, she purred. "Of course you do. I walked in the dreams of Icestar. He was being visited by StarClan at the time, who told him about your prophecy. Now, please do me a favor and recite your prophecy for me."

Mudpool rolled her eyes. "The shadows of the past are threatening the Clans. The cats of mud, hawk, rock, rain and tiger must come together to defeat the impending darkness."

"Ah, yes, that's the one." Shadowheart stopped circling her and stood in front of her. "That's the prophecy he was told about. I saw the cats that were destined to be a part of the prophecy, so I started looking for them. I only found one, and it was clear it wasn't the one I should've been looking for.

"Every night I waited for the rest of you to be born. When the last was born, I soon found out that it was you who was to bring the prophesied cats together."

"So that's why you only targeted me," Mudpool finished for her.

"Exactly," Shadowheart brushed past Mudpool, causing her to flinch at the she-cat's cold touch. "Look at you, getting smarter every day."

"But why didn't you just kill them so I wouldn't be able to find them?" Mudpool asked. "Wouldn't that have been easier?"

"I thought I could do what I did that worked so well in the past, by breaking their spirits by killing the ones they loved the most. Petalbloom was only a test to see if it would work. After that, I spied on your Clanmates to see who had a stronger bond with whom. When that was done, I worked my magic."

And it worked, Mudpool thought, remembering how heartbroken they had all been when Cloudstorm, Specklefur and Weaselfang died.

"What are you going to do now?" Shadowheart asked, her voice dripping with menace. "Are you going to kill me?"

"No," Mudpool replied turning away. "You're already dead."

"Dead?" Shadowheart sprinted to catch up to her, blocking her way. "You honestly think I'm dead?"

"Yes." Mudpool glared at her. "A cat as horrible as you can't possibly still be alive."

"Then you are even dumber than I thought." Mudpool flinched at Shadowheart's rotten breath. "I am very much alive. And I am plotting the downfall of the Clans."

"Oh really?" Mudpool challenged. "How? You're one cat. The Clans are huge."

"Wrong again," Shadowheart meowed. "During my time of being exiled, I have gathered rogues near and far to be a part of my own Clan of rogues. Remember that rogue attack when Icestar was killed? That was all my doing. Every death that seemed to come out of nowhere? My doing."

"So it was you!" Mudpool growled.

"I should've reworded that. It wasn't exactly my doing," she replied. "I simply ordered my rogues to do it for me. I'm simply waiting for just the right time."

"When that happens, you will be dead," Mudpool threatened. "I'll be the one to kill you." Mudpool padded past the shadowy cat, who glared at her.

"Good luck with that," Shadowheart hissed after her. "You and your pitiful Clan are far outnumbered by mine. You won't even be able to get to me."

"Say what you want, Shadowheart!" Mudpool yowled. "I'm leaving!"

As Mudpool faded from the dream, Shadowheart glared ahead of her. "I will kill you, Mudpool," she snarled. "And there won't be a thing you can do to stop me."

~o~o~o~o~

Mudpool awoke from her slumber, only to see it was still night. She padded out of the warriors' den, over to the medicine den. Peering inside, she saw Sandfur sleeping peacefully, with Fernpaw dozing farther inside the cave. Sandfur was purring in his sleep, and Mudpool stifled a _mrrow_ of laughter.

"Sandfur," she whispered. "Wake up."

The pale ginger tom twitched, and he opened his eyes. "Oh, it's you, Mudpool. What is it?"

"I can't sleep. I was hoping you could give me something for it."

Sandfur got up, stretching his back and legs. "I can give you poppy seeds. Follow me."

Mudpool padded farther into the cave, and could barely see the tiny black seeds in the darkness. Just as she was about to eat one, Sandfur stopped her. "Actually... there's something I want to tell you first."

Mudpool sat up. "Okay."

"Not here."

Mudpool and Sandfur padded out of camp, and Mudpool wondered why he would want her so far away from camp.

_He does know about the prophecy. Maybe he wants to tell me something about it. _

Sandfur suddenly stopped, and he turned to face Mudpool, his amber eyes glistening in the light of the moon.

"So what was it you wanted to tell me?" Mudpool asked.

Sandfur was quiet for a moment, then he finally spoke. "I've been wanting to tell you something for a long time now, Mudpool. But since I'm a medicine cat... it's been hard to do so."

"Why would being a medicine cat stop you from telling me what you want to?" Mudpool inquired.

Sandfur's eyes grew more serious as he spoke. "Mudpool... I'm in love with you."

* * *

**You weren't expecting that, were you? Although you have to admit, I've been hinting at this pairing for a while now XD**

**Hope you enjoyed it! :D**


	17. Chapter 16

**Possibly the most boring chapter I've had to write XD**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Mudpool's Path- Chapter 16**

Mudpool couldn't believe what she had just heard. "You... You're in love with me?"

"Yes," Sandfur admitted. "I know that I'm a medicine cat, and I can't have a mate... But I can't help what I feel. I'm sorry, Mudpool. I know you probably feel really weird about this, and you'll reject me or something-"

Mudpool cut him off. "Actually Sandfur... I'm quite flattered. Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"Because I was worried about what you'd say," Sandfur meowed. "To be honest... I started to like you just before you earned your warrior name."

"Why's that?" Mudpool asked.

"After hearing about how you saved Dapplescar and Fernpaw from that hawk not too many moons ago, I started to notice that you weren't just a regular she-cat," Sandfur explained. "You're strong and brave... And that's what I like to see in a she-cat."

Mudpool felt her fur grow hot in embarassment. "But you can't be in love with me, since you're a medicine cat."

"I know," Sandfur sighed. "But like I said, I can't help what I feel."

Mudpool looked around to make sure no cat was listening. Then she leaned over to whisper in Sandfur's ear. "Maybe we could meet at night in secret. So that way you can still be a medicine cat."

Sandfur pondered this for a moment. "That could work... But what about Fernpaw? If my thoughts are always focused on you, how can I focus on helping her train to be a medicine cat?"

"Put your mind to just that," Mudpool meowed. "Don't focus on me, because I'll be okay."

"But what about your prophecy?" Sandfur mentioned. "Don't you feel just a little nervous about whether having a medicine cat as your mate will interfere with it?"

"The prophecy never mentioned me not being allowed to have a mate," Mudpool put in. "I'm sure it'll be fine."

Sandfur sighed. "Okay. Thank you, Mudpool."

Mudpool purred and rubbed her cheek against his. "We can't tell anyone about this."

"Agreed."

The pair made their way back to camp, being careful not to disturb anyone, settling back down in their nests. Mudpool looked from side to side, hoping that she didn't wake anyone up. Sighing with relief, she shut her eyes once more. But she still couldn't shake the thoughts that still buzzed around in her head.

_I know it's wrong to be mates with Sandfur... In fact, being mates with him is probably worse than being mates with Eagleclaw was. At least this time I know that Sandfur won't betray me like Eagleclaw did. Maybe being with Sandfur will be better than I think it'll be... _

~o~o~o~o~

It had been a moon since Sandfur revealed his feelings for Mudpool. Every night since it happened, they had been together in the forest at night, as they had planned. However, they were still extremely careful not to be too affectionate near the rest of the Clan, acting like they usually did before Sandfur told Mudpool he loved her.

Pressing her nose into the elder's fur, Mudpool sighed. Grassnose had died of old age, and now the entire Clan felt sadness as if it were a sudden rainstorm. "Goodbye, Grassnose," she whispered. "Thank you for everything you have done for the Clan."

Mudpool turned away, padding up to Silverclaw and Snowstorm. "It's too bad that Grassnose is dead now."

Snowstorm nodded. "The elders' den will be completely empty. There will almost be no use for it."

"I remember hearing Goldpetal and Mosseyes talking about moving into the elders' den," Silverclaw put in. "It won't be empty for long."

"Still, we need new warriors," Snowstorm retorted. "Cloudkit and Darkkit won't be apprenticed for two more moons, and Birchpaw hasn't even had his assessment yet since Maplefrost still doesn't think he's ready!" Snowstorm groaned. "No one ever told me being a deputy would be such hard work!"

Silverclaw rested the tip of his tail on her shoulder. "Come on, let's go do some hunting. The fresh-kill pile's looking kind of bare, and it'll help get your mind off of things."

Snowstorm looked at her brother and nodded. "You're right." She turned to Mudpool. "You want to come?"

Mudpool nodded. "It'll be just like old times."

The three cats headed into the forest, splitting up near the Twoleg nest. "The first one back gets first pick from the fresh-kill pile!" Silverclaw called over his shoulder.

Mudpool padded through the forest, snow crunching beneath her paws. She grimaced. Her hatred of leaf-bare hadn't changed since she was a kit.

Sniffing the air, she caught the scent of mouse. Crouching down, she squinted, trying to spot the creature. She found it farther off into the forest, nibbling on a fallen seed. She crept forward, careful to keep her paws light and her breathing steady. She pounced on the mouse, killing it swiftly. She put it back down on the ground, kicking snow over it so she could come back for it later.

Mudpool continued to search for more prey, but oddly enough she couldn't scent anything else.

_It is leaf-bare after all,_ she thought. _I should expect that there isn't much prey. _

Still, she couldn't shake the thought that something was going wrong with the prey. Sighing, she went back to collect her prey and take it back to camp. When she came back, she was surprised with what she saw. Silverclaw and Snowstorm each held one thrush each, both pitifully small.

"Is this all we were able to find?" Mudpool asked.

Silverclaw nodded. "We don't know where the rest of the prey has gone. It's to be expected that there's less prey in leaf-bare, but this is just pathetic!"

"What am I going to do?" Snowstorm fretted. "How am I going to explain this to Dawnstar?"

"Snowstorm, it isn't your fault," Mudpool soothed. "Loss of prey isn't something we're able to control."

"Mudpool is right," Silverclaw meowed. "Don't worry about it. Maybe the prey will come back soon."

Snowstorm sighed, her green eyes glittering. "I know... I just hate not being able to do anything about this! I'm the deputy, for StarClan's sake!"

"I know it must be hard for you," Mudpool mewed. "But you need to focus on the things you can control. Why not organize a border patrol? You haven't done that yet today."

Snowstorm nodded, getting up. She turned for the Highbranch. "Nettlepelt! Morninglight! Nightclaw! Come out here!"

The addressed cats padded out of the warriors' den, Morninglight slowly following behind. The she-cat looked exhausted, and Mudpool wondered why that was.

"Morninglight? Is something the matter?" Snowstorm asked with a concerned look on her face.

"No, nothing's wrong," Morninglight answered. "But... I'm expecting kits. Maplefrost's kits."

The camp went silent. Mudpool was able to hear a bird chirping overhead, which irritated her. _Why couldn't you have come out while I was hunting?_

Suddenly, Maplefrost sprang out of the warriors' den, his eyes bright. "Really?" he demanded. "You're having kits? Our kits?" When Morninglight nodded, Maplefrost purred loudly, covering his mate's face in licks. "Wonderful! Absolutely wonderful!"

Mudpool watched Maplefrost and Morninglight, feeling her heart sink when she realized she could never be that affectionate around Sandfur in public like that. She nearly jumped when she realized Sandfur had sat down beside her.

"It's good that Morninglight is having kits," Sandfur remarked. "We need more kits."

Mudpool stayed silent for a moment, then spoke quietly. "Do you... Think we'll ever have kits?"

Sandfur purred. "Do you want to have kits?"

Mudpool gulped. "N-No, it's just that... Well, it's just something to think about, that's all."

"I doubt we'll have kits," Sandfur sighed. "If we did, our Clanmates would be pestering you night and day about who the father is."

"That's true."

Mudpool spotted Fernpaw padding up to them, excitement lighting her eyes. "Can we go yet?"

Looking up at the sky, Sandfur noticed the sun slowly descending behind the tops of the trees. "Yes, and we must hurry. It'll be moonhigh by the time we arrive." Sandfur turned to Mudpool, guessing what she was about to ask. "I'm taking Fernpaw to the Moonhill tonight. She'll be getting her medicine cat name."

"That must be exciting," Mudpool looked down at Fernpaw. "Travel safely, okay?" Mudpool felt slightly guilty at the fact that she was mostly aiming that warning towards Sandfur.

Fernpaw nodded. "Of course! I'll make sure Sandfur is careful, too!"

As the two cats headed for the bramble entrance, Sandfur turned around, aiming a look full of love at Mudpool. With that, he followed Fernpaw out of camp.

Mudpool sighed. She truly did want to have kits with Sandfur, but she wanted to fulfill the prophecy first, before she made any hasty decisions.

"Don't think I didn't see that!"

Mudpool gasped and leapt to her paws, to see Rainspots staring at her with intent amber eyes.

"Wh-What are you talking about?" Mudpool stuttered nervously.

"I saw you with Sandfur," Rainspots meowed. "You two were talking about kits!"

Mudpool looked around, hoping that no cat heard her. "Yeah. S-So?"

"Are you two mates?" Rainspots demanded, quieter this time.

At first, Mudpool didn't want to answer her, but she decided it would be better to tell someone instead of keeping it all to herself, especially if that "someone" was one of her closest friends. "Okay, yes. We are mates."

Rainspots said nothing, instead continuing to stare at her.

"Well?" Mudpool meowed expectantly. "Are you going to tell Dawnstar that I'm mates with the medicine cat?"

"Are you kidding?" Rainspots squealed happily. "Of course not! Your secret's safe with me! I don't want anything to come between you two!"

Mudpool stared at her friend wide-eyed. "Are you alright?"

"I'm better than alright!" Rainspots assured. "Don't worry! I support you two!"

Mudpool nodded. "Alright then. I'm just going to, uh... Get some fresh-kill now..."

~o~o~o~o~

Mudpool lay awake in her nest in the warriors' den. She couldn't sleep thinking about Sandfur, not being able to see him like they normally did at night. Of course it wasn't just that. She was as well worried that the rogues might come back and kill him and Fernpaw.

_StarClan, please let him be safe,_ Mudpool prayed, shutting her eyes and attempting to get to sleep.

When she opened her eyes, she noticed she was no longer in the warriors' den, but instead in StarClan's hunting grounds. She spotted a cat coming towards her, and she felt her heart give a leap of joy when she recognized it was Thrushflight.

"My daughter," Thrushflight murmured, licking the fur between her ears. "I'm so happy to see you again."

"I'm happy to see you too, Thrushflight," Mudpool meowed. "Why are you visiting me?"

"You seem to be upset about something," Thrushflight replied. "Could it be about your relationship with Sandfur?"

"You knew?"

Thrushflight let out a throaty purr. "Of course. StarClan watches over all the Clans. We make sure our Clans are safe."

"But they aren't anymore," Mudpool mentioned. "The forest is in danger, remember?"

"Yes, I know," he admitted. "And by now you're probably wondering why StarClan hasn't done anything to stop it."

When Mudpool reluctantly nodded, he beckoned for her to follow him with his tail.

"You see, Mudpool," Thrushflight began. "There are many Clans in this world. We don't know about them, and they don't know about us. Each of them has their own StarClan, their own leaders, and their own rules. One thing that will never change is that StarClan cannot control what happens in the forest. We can guide you and visit you in your dreams, but in the end it is up to you to decide where your destiny lies."

"Like how Fernpaw knew it was her destiny to become a medicine cat?" Mudpool asked.

"Yes," Thrushflight meowed. "And how it is your destiny to save the Clans. You decided that when Shimmerheart first visited you."

"How did I decide on that?" Mudpool questioned. "Shimmerheart told me it was my destiny."

"True, but you ensured it was your destiny by listening to what she said and finding the other cats," Thrushflight explained.

"But what about Sandfur? Is being with him my destiny, too?"

"That is for you to decide, my daughter," Thrushflight meowed. "It is up to you to decide who you want to be."

Mudpool noticed that her father was beginning to fade, as well as the rest of StarClan's territory. "Wait! Don't go!"

"Remember what I told you before I died, Mudpool," Thrushflight called. "Don't hesitate. When the time comes, just act."

With that, Mudpool's vision faded to darkness, and she opened her eyes to the warriors' den once again. Hawkwing was staring at her with concern.

"You alright, Mudpool?" she asked. "You were tossing and turning in your sleep."

"Yeah, I'm fine," Mudpool promised. Hawkwing shrugged and exited the den. It was then that she remembered that Sandfur would be back by now. Peeking outside, she spotted Sandfur emerging from the cave that held the medicine den.

"Hey! Sandfur!" Mudpool padded over to the pale ginger tom, who looked at her happily.

"It's good to see you Mudpool," the medicine cat greeted. "What is it?"

"I just missed you, that's all," Mudpool looked around. "Where's Fernpaw?"

"Right here!" The she-cat poked her head outside the den. "By the way, you have to call me Ferntail now!" Then, she tilted her head to the side. "Why did you say you were missing Sandfur?"

Mudpool searched her mind for an answer. "I don't know. I just... Missed him, that's all."

Ferntail shrugged. "Okay then!"

When Ferntail went back into the den, Mudpool whispered, "Do you think she forgives me now? She isn't giving me the silent treatment anymore."

"Probably," Sandfur meowed. "I have to get to work. Bye!"

Mudpool purred as he retreated into the medicine den.

_It must be my destiny to be with him. I'm sure of it._

* * *

**You know, if you guys want to tell people about this fanfic, you can. It'll be nice to get more feedback :D**

**Stay tuned for Chapter 17!**


	18. Chapter 17

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Mudpool's Path- Chapter 17**

Mudpool was prodded awake by Snowstorm. Groaning, she drowsily lifted her head. "What is it now?"

"I don't know why you're so grumpy," Snowstorm meowed. "You were fast asleep last night."

_You have no idea,_ Mudpool thought, remembering last night when she was out with Sandfur.

"Anyways, I want you to go on a border patrol with Nightclaw, Rockpool and Streamtail."

"Okay. I'll be out in a moment." Mudpool stretched her legs, careful not to disturb the rest of the warriors, then padded outside. Freshly fallen snow from last night swirled in a light breeze that passed by, causing Mudpool to shiver.

She padded up to the awaiting patrol, then left with them into the forest.

"So have you found out anything else about the prophecy?" Rockpool asked quietly.

"Not yet," Mudpool whispered. "What about you?"

Rockpool shook her head. "We know a lot about it now, but we still don't know exactly who we're up against, or when this is going to happen."

"Well we could ask Ravensky," Mudpool mentioned.

"What do you mean?"

"He did say if we needed any help or if we need to know more about rogues, we can come find him."

Rockpool considered this. "Except we don't have a chance to ask him yet. What if we can't go to the next Gathering? Or what if he isn't there?"

"Well we are on a border patrol," Mudpool meowed. "Maybe we-"

Streamtail turned around. "Yes, we are on a border patrol. Which means we need to do our job and mark the borders instead of chattering like a bunch of elders!"

Mudpool and Rockpool muttered their apologies, and continued on their way to the MistClan border. When they arrived, Mudpool squinted her eyes, hoping to catch a glimpse of the black tom. To her disappointment, she couldn't see him.

"Can you see him?" Mudpool asked Rockpool. The gray she-cat shook her head.

When Nightclaw and Streamtail finished marking the border, they padded off to the ShadeClan border. The forest quickly changed from the leafless forest of deciduous trees to the dark pine trees that signaled they were close to ShadeClan territory.

Mudpool held her breath as she spotted a group of three ShadeClan warriors emerging from the pines on the other side of the border.

"Greetings, LeafClan," the black tom at the head of the group meowed flatly. "What brings you here?"

"Hello, Shadowfall," Nightclaw noticed the others behind him. "Darkpetal and Snakefang. How have you been?"

"We've been better." It was Darkpetal that answered. "We've had a rather dramatic shortage in prey this leaf-bare, and with the birth of Lilypetal's kit, it's harder than ever to feed our Clan."

"Lilypetal had kits?" Streamtail asked.

"Only one," Snakefang meowed. "Her name is Icekit."

"Way to tell the enemy Clan our problems," Shadowfall hissed. "Now we seem weak."

_So it's not just LeafClan that's losing prey,_ Mudpool thought. _How odd._

"Sorry to disturb you," Nightclaw apologized. "We were only marking the border."

"Then don't let us interrupt you," Snakefang meowed, and his eyes narrowed threateningly. "But make one pawstep over the border..."

The LeafClan cats ignored him, as they went about their business marking the border as the ShadeClan cats slunk back into their territory, watching them from the shadows through gleaming eyes.

As the patrol made their return trip to camp, Mudpool was deep in thought. _Maybe Shadowheart and her rogues are still in the forest. If they are, the battle between the Clans and her rogues is far nearer than I thought._

Mudpool was taken by surprise when Rockpool snapped at her. "Mudpool! Haven't you heard a single word I said? There's a dog! We have to get out of here!"

Mudpool's tail shot up in alarm as a large animal with slavering jaws and pointed ears crashed through the brambles towards them. She ran to the nearest tree she could find, scrambling her way up, with Rockpool close behind.

"Nightclaw!" Streamtail yowled. "Hurry! Get away!"

Mudpool looked down towards the ground, and her eyes widened with horror as she realized Nightclaw was still down there, his fur fluffed up, ears pinned against his head, and jaws parted in a ferocious snarl.

"Nightclaw, what are you doing!" Rockpool screeched. "Quit being a mouse-brain and get in the trees!"

"I was taught that a warrior never backs down from a battle!" the black tom shot back. "Especially from a battle with an invader! I will teach this overgrown rat a lesson it will not soon forget!"

With that, Nightclaw launched himself at the dog's face, latching onto its ear with his teeth. The dog howled, swinging its head back and forth trying to dislodge the warrior, stamping its enormous paws against the frosty ground.

At last, the dog threw Nightclaw onto the ground. The dog launched itself at the warrior, its teeth parted to grab at the cat's throat and kill him. But Nightclaw was too quick. Even though he was stunned from the fall, he slid out of the dog's way, letting it ram its head against the trunk of an oak tree.

Mudpool wanted to cheer for her Clanmate, but at the same time she wanted to leap down and help him. She noticed Rockpool getting ready to jump down, but Streamtail simply shook his head. "Nightclaw wants to deal with this dog himself. When he truly needs help, we shall help him."

Nightclaw darted behind the dog, digging his teeth into its heel. The beast spun around, ready to knock the warrior away with a paw, but it was too late. Nightclaw leapt up, landing on the dog's back, digging his back paws into its spine.

With that, the dog charged in every direction it could, trying as hard as it could to remove the tenacious cat. Nightclaw gripped the dog's back with his claws, and delivered a powerful bite to the back of its neck, causing the dog to howl loudly in pain.

However, Nightclaw's grip slipped, and he fell to the ground, landing with a thud.

The dog turned to the exhausted warrior, blood dripping from its ear to its eye, and it bared its teeth, ready to make the killing blow.

Mudpool turned to Streamtail. "Should we attack now?"

The older warrior answered her by leaping down to the ground. "Yes! Attack!"

Mudpool and Rockpool went down after him, and Rockpool tilted her head to the side. "This dog obviously came to the wrong Clan."

Mudpool darted underneath the dog, slashing at its belly with her claws. Rockpool grabbed the dog's back paw in her jaws with a powerful grip, yanking it backwards. Streamtail helped Nightclaw to his paws, proceeding to rear up on his hind legs and slash at its muzzle.

The dog, bleeding and whimpering, ran out of the forest. In the distance, Mudpool heard a Twoleg's voice booming with what seemed to be rage.

"And don't even think about coming back!" Nightclaw called after it. He turned to the rest of the patrol. "Thanks for helping me out."

"No problem," Rockpool meowed. "It was fun!"

"But you need to be more careful," Streamtail growled sternly. "If that happens again, we might not be here to help you."

"Yeah, yeah, be careful, I hear you," Nightclaw replied. "But you have to admit, those were some good moves I had back there, right?"

The pale gray tom rolled his eyes. "They were great."

As the two toms chatted ahead, Rockpool turned to Mudpool. "So Lilypetal of ShadeClan had kits."

"Yeah, you were there after all," Mudpool chuckled.

"It's just that every Clan seems to be getting more kits now. Featherheart of BreezeClan, Morninglight from our Clan, Splashfur and Wavestripe from MistClan-"

"Wait, where did you hear all this?" Mudpool asked. "And since when has Wavestripe been pregnant?"

"I heard it from the warriors who went to the last Gathering," Rockpool answered. "And Wavestripe has apparently been pregnant since then."

"Who's the father?"

"Everyone keeps saying it's Eagleclaw, but I'm not sure."

Mudpool stopped in her tracks. _So Eagleclaw took on another mate. Then again, I have Sandfur, so it isn't that big of a deal._

"You okay, Mudpool?" Rockpool asked, a hint of concern in her voice.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Mudpool replied quickly. "It's just that the last time I saw Wavestripe she was nowhere near Eagleclaw."

"Well, don't expect all mates to be like Ravensky and Mossnose, all cuddly in public," Rockpool's eyes suddenly glinted, indicating that she had just gotten an idea. "That reminds me... With the loss of prey, you'd think that rogues would be doing all this."

"Rockpool, please don't tell me you still think Ravensky is evil," Mudpool pleaded. "We already went over that."

"No, it's not that," Rockpool assured. "I'm just thinking that since Ravensky was once a rogue, he'd probably know a thing or two about them, right?"

Mudpool pondered this. "That's a good point. So what you're suggesting is that we go to MistClan territory, ask to speak to Ravensky and Mossnose, and then we find out about what Ravensky's life was like as a rogue?"

Rockpool nodded. "If we do that, we'll be more aware of the rogues' tricks. Then by the time this huge battle or whatever comes, we'll be more prepared than they think!"

Mudpool purred. "That's a pretty good plan for something that was thought of by someone like you!"

Rockpool hit her playfully over the ear with her paw. "All my plans are great, you know that!"

~o~o~o~o~

When Mudpool returned to camp, she and the rest of the patrol went straight to the medicine den to get their wounds treated. They were all mostly fine, but Nightclaw was limping and bleeding from his ear.

When they entered, they saw Sandfur and Ferntail sorting out herbs. Sandfur turned his head to look at them, and he gasped.

"What happened?" he asked, padding over. "Did you get into a border fight?"

"Worse," Streamtail replied. "We were attacked by a dog."

Sandfur looked them over. "Nightclaw seems to be the only one who's badly hurt."

"He wanted to fight the dog by himself," Mudpool pointed out. "We helped out when it seemed like he would possibly die."

Sandfur stared at the she-cat, worry gleaming in his eyes. "Okay. I still want to check all of you in case there were any injuries that went unnoticed."

The cats laid down, allowing the medicine cat to check them over. He winced when he saw a nick in Mudpool's ear.

"I'm fine," Mudpool assured him quietly. "It doesn't even hurt."

"That doesn't matter," Sandfur whispered back. "I am your medicine cat, and I won't stand back while you get hurt in battle."

Sandfur chewed dock into a poultice, applying it to Mudpool's wound. She winced, then stopped as the stinging ceased. Ferntail did the same with Nightclaw, as well applying cobwebs over his wounds.

"Am I doing okay?" Ferntail asked.

Sandfur nodded, purring. "You're doing well. You're an excellent medicine cat, Ferntail."

Ferntail beamed at this, going to check on the other cats from the patrol.

Sandfur turned back to Mudpool, focusing his stern gaze on her. "Mudpool, please tell me you're going to be more careful from now on."

"Why are you acting like this now?" Mudpool challenged. "You've never been this protective of me all those other times I've had to come in."

Sandfur looked from side to side, making sure none of the others were listening. Rockpool and Streamtail had already left, and Nightclaw was fast asleep. Ferntail had gone back to sorting the herbs, focusing solely on her work. Sandfur let out a relieved sigh, and returned to their conversation. "Of course I've been worried about you before now. Remember that battle when your father died? I was worried about you then. When you left with the other apprentices to kill that fox? I was worried then, too. Every time you've gone into battle, or even left the forest to go hunting, I've been worried for your safety."

"So why didn't you ever bring it up?"  
Sandfur sighed. "I never wanted any cat to figure out how I was beginning to feel about you. I didn't want them to figure out I was falling in love with anyone."

"I see," Mudpool nodded. "That's understandable. I'm sorry for snapping at you."

Sandfur rested his muzzle on the top of her head. "I'm sorry, too."

Mudpool's ears pricked when she heard a gasp. Breaking away from Sandfur, she saw Ferntail standing in front of them, her mouth agape. Luckily, she noticed that Nightclaw was still asleep.

"What are you doing?" Ferntail demanded.

"I'm... Checking her heartbeat?" Sandfur lied feebly.

"Through her head?" Ferntail wasn't fooled. "While she's awake and clearly alive?"

Sandfur stuttered for words, and Mudpool simply looked down at her paws.

"I see what's happening here," Ferntail hissed, obviously trying not to wake up Nightclaw. "You two are in love. That's breaking the medicine cat code, in case you haven't noticed, Sandfur!"

"I-I know, Ferntail."

"Well if you knew, you wouldn't be being so affectionate with Mudpool, would you?" She broke off for a moment, trying to calm down. "You're supposed to be my mentor. Some cat that I can learn from, that I can look up to. How can I do that when they're breaking one of the rules?"

"Ferntail... I'm sorry," Sandfur meowed. "I truly am."

Ferntail simply looked away, not wanting to listen to him.

Mudpool broke the silence. "You're going to tell Dawnstar, aren't you?"

"Well I should," Ferntail admitted. "But I'm not going to. This is your business, not mine. If you two mouse-brains want to break the medicine cat code, you go right on ahead. I'm going to let you sort it out yourselves."

With that, Ferntail stormed out of the den. Mudpool looked at Sandfur, her eyes glinting with worry. "What will we do now? What if she does end up telling someone?"

Sandfur bent down to lick her cheek. "She won't. She already said she was going to let us sort it out ourselves. We'll be more careful from now on."

"How long do you think that'll work out?"

"I'm not sure," Sandfur meowed. "But I do have a plan."

"Will you let me in on it?"

"Not yet," Sandfur purred. "You'll just have to wait and see."

Mudpool groaned. She loved Sandfur with all her heart, but sometimes she just wished he'd open up to her more.

* * *

**I'll be away over March Break, so this won't be updated for a while. **

**Stay tuned!**


	19. Chapter 18

**When I got back from vacation, I wrote this chapter right away. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Mudpool's Path- Chapter 18**

Sandfur padded out of the nursery, a tired expression on his muzzle. Mudpool looked up from the mouse she was eating when he approached.

"So how is Morninglight doing?" she asked. "Has she had her kits? Has she named them yet?"

"Yes," Sandfur answered. "A tom and a she-cat. She named the she-cat Rosekit and the tom Icekit, in honor of Icestar."

Mudpool leaned back and purred. "That's good. They'll make fine warriors one day."

Maplefrost padded up to them, and Mudpool narrowed her eyes. Maplefrost scoffed. "Don't look at me like that. Anyways, I heard you talking about new warriors."

"So?"

"So, I talked to Dawnstar and I told her how Birchpaw had his assessment today. He'll be made a warrior very soon."

Mudpool beamed. "Good. And aren't Cloudkit and Darkkit six moons old today?"

"That's right," Maplefrost meowed. "Maybe you'll finally get an apprentice of your own!"

Mudpool took note of the sarcastic tone in his voice. "I've been working my tail off lately. Maybe she will."

"And when that happens, hedgehogs will soar over our heads!" Maplefrost chuckled. Without another word, he turned away, padding out the bramble entrance.

Sandfur gently touched the tip of his tail to Mudpool's shoulder. "Don't let him get to you. You'll get an apprentice of your own one day, just you wait and see."

"I hope so," Mudpool sighed. "I've been waiting so long."

As Mudpool said that, Dawnstar stood beneath the Highbranch, yowling for the Clan to gather. Maplefrost and Birchpaw came back to camp, the apprentice's eyes shining with excitement. Birdwing and her kits, Cloudkit and Darkkit, came out of the nursery. The queen was desperately trying to get her kits to sit still for a moment so she could clean them, but the the tom kits wouldn't settle down, bouncing up and down on tiny paws.

Mudpool finished up the remains of her mouse, and followed Sandfur to the rest of the Clan, sitting beside Rainspots and Hawkwing.

Rainspots looked at her excitedly. "You and Sandfur make such a cute pair!" Rainspots whispered, her voice so quiet Mudpool had to strain her ears to hear it.

"Stop it," Mudpool tried her hardest to keep her voice as quiet as it could go. "I know that you like how we're a couple, but you can't go talking about it when we're in a crowd." She looked up when Dawnstar began to speak.

"Today is a very special day," Dawnstar meowed, her voice having the slightest bit of nervousness in it. "For not only am I given the privilege to name a warrior, I also get to name two apprentices. Birchpaw, please step forward."

When Birchpaw sat beside her, his whiskers twitching nervously, the leader continued. "I, Dawnstar, leader of LeafClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend him to you as a warrior in his turn."

Birchpaw straightened up as Dawnstar turned to him. "Birchpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do." Birchpaw's voice trembled, but at the same time held confidence.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Birchpaw, from this moment you will be known as Birchpelt. StarClan honors your kindness and strength, and we welcome you as a full warrior of LeafClan."

Dawnstar rested her muzzle on Birchpelt's head, and he gave her shoulder a respectful lick in return.

"Birchpelt! Birchpelt!" The Clan shouted his new name to the sky, their voices echoing through the trees. As the cheers died down, Birchpelt sat down beside his former mentor to watch the rest of the ceremony.

"Now, without further ado, it is time for me to name two kits who are ready to become apprentices. Cloudkit and Darkkit, please come forward."

The kits broke away from Birdwing, who watched her sons lovingly as the sat in front of the leader. Dawnstar then began to speak again.

"Cloudkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to become an apprentice. From this day on, until you recieve your warrior name, you will be known as Cloudpaw. Your mentor will be Snowstorm."

Dawnstar looked at the LeafClan deputy. "It recently came to my attention that I have broken the warrior code. When I named Snowstorm as deputy, she had not yet had an apprentice. For that, I apologize. Snowstorm, you have shown yourself to be determined and knowledgeable. I expect you to pass on all you know to Cloudpaw."

"Thank you, Dawnstar," Snowstorm dipped her head to her leader, touching noses with her new apprentice. The pair padded off, Cloudpaw mewing excitedly to his new mentor.

Mudpool's heart soared with hope. _Maybe Darkkit will be my apprentice!_

Dawnstar turned to Darkkit, who looked far more relaxed and serious than his brother. "Darkkit, from this day on, until you recieve your warrior name, you shall be known as Darkpaw."

Mudpool's heart was practically thumping out of her chest. _Please say I'm his mentor, please say I'm his mentor..._

"Your mentor shall be Silverclaw."

Mudpool's heart sank, but she watched with pride as her brother padded forward.

"Silverclaw, you are ready to take on your first apprentice," Dawnstar continued. "I know I have trained you well as my apprentice, and you have shown yourself to be brave and clever. I know you will pass on these qualities to Darkpaw."

As Silverclaw and Darkpaw touched noses, the voices of the Clan rose once more, to call out the names of the new apprentices.

"Cloudpaw! Darkpaw! Cloudpaw! Darkpaw!"

Hawkwing turned to Mudpool. "It's a shame you didn't get an apprentice, Mudpool. I know you've been hoping to recieve one ever since you'd been made a warrior."

"Yeah... But at least Snowstorm finally has an apprentice," Mudpool pointed out.

"True," Rainspots joined in. "I still can't believe that Dawnstar overlooked that when she made Snowstorm her deputy."

"Well, at least it's over and done with now."

As the crowd began to dissipate, a voice called out. "Wait! There's one more ceremony we have to perfom!"

Mudpool turned around to see where the voice came from, and to her surprise she found out that it was Goldpetal and Mosseyes.

Dawnstar tilted her head. "What is it?"

"As you know, we are getting much older," Goldpetal began. "We have noticed we are slower than we used to be. We cannot aid the Clan with as much of our strength when they need us anymore."

"It is for these reasons that we wish to retire to the elders' den," Mosseyes finished for his mate.

"Very well." Dawnstar called the Clan back, and began the final ceremony. "It is with great sadness that I announce that Goldpetal and Mosseyes wish to retire." She turned to the two warriors. "Goldpetal and Mosseyes, is it your wishes to give up the names of warriors and retire as elders?"

"It is," they replied in unison.

"Your Clan honors you and all the service you have given us. I call upon StarClan to give you many moons of rest."

As the two of them padded together to the elders' den, the Clan called out their names.

"Goldpetal! Mosseyes! Goldpetal! Mosseyes!"

Mudpool sighed. "It's too bad they've moved to the elders' den. They were fantastic warriors!"

"Not only that, think about how Maplefrost must feel," Hawkwing pointed with her tail to the ginger and white warrior. "His parents won't be in the den with the rest of the warriors anymore, and that includes him."

Maplefrost padded up to them as he heard his name. "I heard that, and surprisingly I'm okay with it. I mean, yeah, it's upsetting that they're no longer warriors, but at least I can still visit them in the elders' den from time to time, right?"

Mudpool was surprised to hear this. She half expected to hear nothing but contempt about it from him. "Th-That's true."

When the rest of the Clan dispersed, Mudpool looked around to see Hawkwing, Rockpool, Rainspots and Tigerstripe gathered around her.

"What is it?" Mudpool asked.

"Rockpool told us about her plan to see Mossnose and Ravensky," Tigerstripe replied. "Since no patrols have been organized yet, we thought we could go on a little border patrol ourselves."

Mudpool sighed. "Alright. We better hope we don't get caught, though."

"Don't worry about it!" Rockpool assured. "Now let's go. I want us to get to the MistClan border before sundown."

The five she-cats strode out of camp and made their way to the border. The sun shone over the tops of the trees, its light warmer than before. The snow beneath their paws was also beginning to melt, signifying that newleaf was on its way.

When they arrived at the border, they dove beneath a bush, peeking between the leaves.

"Can anyone see them?" Hawkwing asked.

"Not yet," Mudpool replied. "I hope they come soon, though."

The longer they waited, they became more unsure of whether they'd come or not.

Suddenly, Rainspots' ears twitched. "I see them!"

Squinting, Mudpool saw the figures of two cats padding towards the border. She instantly recognized them as Ravensky and Mossnose. "Come on! Let's go talk to them right now!"

They leapt out of the bushes, startling the two MistClan cats.

"What is it now?" Mossnose asked.

Mudpool ignored the sour tone in her voice. "We need to talk to you."

"What about?" Ravensky inquired.

"We want to know more about rogues," Tigerstripe meowed. "We were hoping you'd tell us a bit about what Ravensky's life was like as a rogue."

"That's a little personal, don't you think?" Mossnose asked. "What would possibly make you think that we'd-"

"Of course," Ravensky interrupted his mate. "I'll tell you what you'd like to know." When Mossnose turned to him to protest, he rested the tip of his tail on her shoulder. "Come on, Mossnose. We can tell them, right?"

Mossnose hesitated, then nodded, her green eyes glaring at her paws.

"Great," Ravensky nodded to the bush. "Let's go in there, so no one will see us."

When they all settled down in the bush, Ravensky cleared his throat.

"I was born in a Twolegplace, far away from here," he began. "It's where there are more Twolegs than there is grass. I lived with my mother, and my three sisters. I was known back then as simply Raven. We were starving, and nearly died, until a she-cat and her group of rogues took us in."

_He must be talking about Shadowheart,_ Mudpool thought bitterly.

"They were very kind to us, bringing us prey, making sure that the other rogues taught us how to fight. We found it very strange, since we always thought that rogues normally try to kill each other constantly. It was almost like they were just one big family, supporting each other, and making sure we all survived.

"But that all changed one day, when I was about ten moons old. Our leader had ordered me to come to this forest to kill a Clan cat. She said it was a mission so I could prove I could be strong. My siblings were also ordered to go, but they refused, not wanting to kill to prove their worth. Our leader wouldn't have any of that, so she ordered her rogues to kill them."

Rockpool gasped. "That's awful! How did your mother feel about that?"

"My mother was furious, of course," Ravensky answered. "In fact, she even succeeded in killing two of the rogues in return. Of course even she wasn't safe, as our leader herself took her life."

"So what did you do?" Mudpool asked.

"Our leader threatened to kill me if I didn't go," Ravensky continued. "So I obeyed, and I killed a Clan cat."

"And that cat would be...?" Rainspots leaned closer.

"I wouldn't know," Ravensky admitted. "But from what I now know, I think it may have been a LeafClan cat. Sorry about that, by the way."

"Don't worry about it," Mudpool reassured him. "It's over and done with now."

"Thank you," Ravensky dipped his head. "Anyways, after I did that, I was congratulated by my leader, and she even offered me the position of her second-in-command, or her deputy, as you would call it. I turned her down, however, and I lied to her, saying I'd rather some other cat recieve the position.

"After that, I thought long and hard about whether I really wanted to stay with these cats. I eventually made my decision, and, when every cat was asleep, I fled, and I never even thought to look back. At some point, I made it to MistClan. I told them that I was a rogue, and that I needed somewhere to stay, and I immediately regretted it. They told me to leave, that they didn't want any rogue to ruin their Clan's image."

"And that was when we met," Mossnose purred. "Wasn't it?"

Ravensky licked the top of his mate's head. "Yes. Mossnose begged Ivystar to let me stay. Ivystar eventually agreed, but only if I promised to stay with the Clan, and not just leave to go somewhere else."

"I wonder why that would be?" Hawkwing wondered aloud.

"It could've been to prevent Ravensky from sharing info with other rogues or another Clan," Tigerstripe replied. "I have to admit, Ivystar thought through her decision very well."

"Yes, she did," Ravensky meowed. "I'm very grateful to her for allowing me into the Clan. Of course, not every cat in our Clan trusts me just yet, but I'm willing to wait for them to see that no matter what, I'll defend MistClan, even if I have to die fighting."

"Thank you for telling us what you have been through, Ravensky," Mudpool meowed, dipping her head.

"It was no problem," Ravensky meowed. "I will tell you one thing about rogues, though: When the leader of a group is killed, they will be lost. They won't know what to do, since there is no cat to give them orders."

Nodding her thanks, Mudpool turned towards the LeafClan side of the border, ready to leave. However, she remembered one more thing she had to do.

"Mossnose!" she called. "Can I talk to you for a moment?"

The tortoiseshell she-cat faced her. "Whatever." Looking at her mate, she meowed, "Go back to camp without me. I'll be there soon."

Ravensky nodded, leaving the bush. Mudpool turned to her friends and told them the same thing.

"Are you sure?" Hawkwing asked. "You don't want us to wait here for you?"

"I'm sure," Mudpool responded. "I won't be long."

As they headed away, Mudpool looked back at Mossnose, who was licking her paws.

"Well whatever you want to talk to me about, make it quick," Mossnose meowed briskly. "My Clanmates will be wondering where I've gone."

Mudpool decided to simply get to the point. "You've been acting a lot more differently than when we first met at the Gathering," Mudpool began. "Back then, you were so friendly. You never had a problem speaking with me, let alone being within two tail-lengths near me. What ever happened to that?"

Mossnose said nothing for a moment, simply staring at Mudpool as though she couldn't believe what she had just said. Finally, she spoke. "My Clanmates."

Mudpool tipped her head. "Your Clanmates?"

The tortoiseshell she-cat nodded. "After that first Gathering, and a couple moons after it, they constantly teased me about being such close friends with a LeafClan cat. You know our Clans, never getting along, even if our lives depended on it. They'd call me a squirrel-chasing mouse-brain. And after that battle between our Clans several moons ago, I realized that they were right. About me being friends with a cat from another Clan, that is. I was worried that I'd end up hurting you or another cat that you cared about. I don't want to hurt a friend."

"So you thought that rejecting me and treating me the way you did would help you cope with it," Mudpool finished for her. "Why didn't you just walk away or ignore them?"

"Everyone says that walking away or ignoring someone when they're teasing you always works," Mossnose mewed. "But it doesn't always work. Not for every cat. Sometimes the teasing just gets to be too much. It ends up being such a problem it gets harder and harder to ignore, especially when it's almost half the Clan. I just couldn't take being teased anymore, Mudpool!"

Mudpool nodded slowly. "I understand, and I forgive you for what you did. Just remember that you don't have to listen to what they say, because inside you know that they're only doing it to get a reaction out of you. I know you said that it's hard to ignore them, so why not try giving them the reaction that they aren't looking for?"

When Mossnose looked questioningly at her, Mudpool explained, "Instead of acting frustrated, why not just act pleased, or even just give a friendly wave of your tail?"

"Would that even work?"

"Hey, it works with Maplefrost, it'll work with your Clanmates!" Mudpool mewed.

Mossnose purred. "Thanks Mudpool."

"You're welcome," Mudpool dipped her head. "Are we okay now? No more fighting or rude remarks?"

"No more fighting," Mossnose promised. "See you later."

They both left the bush, leaving for their camps. When Mudpool returned, she saw Hawkwing waiting for her. "So, is everything okay?" Hawkwing asked.

Mudpool nodded. "Yes. Everything's just fine."

* * *

**And yes, I did overlook the fact that to be a deputy, the cat needs to have had at least one apprentice. I actually noticed this a long time ago, so I was just waiting for the right time to give Snowstorm an apprentice. **

**And we've already past the halfway mark! Yay!**

**Stay tuned!**


	20. Chapter 19

**This chapter for some reason just felt so rushed. Try to enjoy it XD**

* * *

**Mudpool's Path- Chapter 19**

"I thought we could hunt by the rock near the ShadeClan border."

"That's far too close to the border! We should hunt near the old Twoleg nest."

"There's never anything there!"

"You think that'll make a difference with the prey shortage?"

It was only sunhigh, and Mudpool, Nutwhisker, Streamtail and Nettlepelt were arguing about where they should hunt. Snowstorm had instructed them to be the hunting patrol and already it seemed as though it would be a disaster.

"Well if we're going to hunt, we might as well decide on where we're going," Nutwhisker meowed. "If we argue any longer the prey will have escaped to their nests already."

"You'd think the prey would be running wild," Streamtail twitched his thin tail. "It's supposed to be newleaf already, and every hunting patrol has brought back so little of it."

"Some of the snow hasn't even melted," Nettlepelt added. "Maybe newleaf is late?"

"Maybe if we split up, we'll all get to hunt where we want and we might find more prey," Mudpool mewed.

"Maybe," Nutwhisker nodded thoughtfully. "We can do that. Meet back at the camp entrance, everyone. Try to find as much prey as you can."

"No Nutwhisker we're going to sit around like a bunch of old squirrels waiting for a warrior to catch us," Streamtail hissed sarcastically. "What do you think we're going to do?"

"Mind your tongue," Nettlepelt scolded. "Nutwhisker is older than you are, and you should show some respect."

Mudpool shuddered at her mother's words. Her former mentor was now the oldest warrior in the Clan. Stealing a glance at him, she noticed his spine was now quite visible beneath his thick fur.

Streamtail didn't reply. Instead he sniffed and headed on his way towards the Twoleg nest to hunt.

Mudpool left as well, padding deeper into the forest. Her mother was right, she realized, that the snow of leaf-bare had barely melted at all, still covering parts of the ground and trees, their skinny branches reaching up towards the sun.

Mudpool lifted her nose into the air, trying to catch any scent of prey. Pricking her ears, she detected the sound of a creature quickly scurrying over the bracken that littered the forest. She crept forward, keeping low to the ground in case the prey was nearby.

_Maybe I'll get a better look if I climb one of the trees,_ she thought, climbing the nearest tree. Peering towards the ground, she tried to spot her prey. Sniffing again, she recognized the scent as rabbit.

She spotted the brown pelt of the rabbit, its tiny nose twitching. She readied herself for a leap, then, pushing her legs off of the branch, made her move. The rabbit was quicker than she was, however, darting out of the way as she landed. It sprinted away, and Mudpool chased after it, dodging the numerous tree branches that tried to get in her way.

When she got close enough, she sprang onto it, leaving a tiny cloud of dust where her paws left the ground. Mudpool grasped the rabbit in her claws, not wasting any time in giving it a swift bite to the throat. It fell limp, and Mudpool lifted the rabbit triumphantly in her jaws. It didn't have much meat on it, but she felt proud that she at least caught something.

She placed her catch beside a tree, kicking snow over it so she could come back for it later.

After a while longer of hunting, she had caught one very small but fat mouse. The mouse and rabbit hanging from her jaws, she padded back to camp. The rest of the hunting patrol was waiting for her. Nutwhisker had caught two robins, while Streamtail and Nettlepelt had each caught a thrush.

"We did much better than we normally do," Streamtail meowed through a mouthful of feathers.

The hunting patrol padded into camp, depositing their catch on the very pitiful-looking fresh-kill pile. Mudpool picked up one of the robins that Nutwhisker had caught and carried it to the nursery for Morninglight.

The queen was sharing tongues with Maplefrost, while their kits laid at their mother's belly, fully awake. When Mudpool approached, Rosekit and Icekit stumbled to their feet, sniffing Mudpool all over.

Mudpool placed the robin at Morninglight's paws. "Your kits keeping you busy?" Mudpool asked, a hint of amusement in her voice.

"As always," Morninglight purred, bending down to eat her robin.

Mudpool looked down at the two tiny kits. Rosekit had fluffy ginger fur, Icekit having white fur. The kits looked up at her eagerly, their wide eyes squinting.

"Did you bring any for us?" Rosekit squeaked.

"Yeah, we're hungry!" Icekit added.

"Now come on, kits," Maplefrost meowed gently. "You're too young to eat prey now. Wait until you're older."

The kits whined, huddling back up against Morninglight's belly. Mudpool was surprised to hear such a gentle tone in Maplefrost's voice. Normally he spoke with such a hard edge to it.

Mudpool bid farewell, and headed towards the fresh-kill pile. There wasn't much to pick from, only a few mice and two shrews. Sighing, Mudpool picked up two mice, one for Ferntail and one for Sandfur, and padded towards the medicine den.

Inside, Ferntail was sorting herbs with Sandfur. The pale ginger tom looked up, while his apprentice kept her head down, her tail lashing from side to side. Sandfur padded over to his mate. "You brought me some fresh-kill?"

"Yes." Mudpool placed it down in front of him. "And one for Ferntail."

"That was very thoughtful of you," he purred. "Wasn't it, Ferntail?"

She said nothing, only giving a grunt and keeping her head down, trying to focus on sorting the herbs in front of her.

Sandfur sighed, turning back to Mudpool. "So anyway... I thought I should tell you what I'm planning."

Mudpool tipped her head. "You're planning something?"

Sandfur nodded, lowering his voice. "I'm resigning."

Mudpool's eyes widened. "You can't!" she struggled to keep her voice low. "You're a medicine cat!"

"And that's why our relationship is so difficult to manage," Sandfur pointed out calmly. "If I become a warrior, we won't have to keep our love a secret. You understand that, right?"

"I understand it all right," Mudpool meowed. "But this is crazy! What about Ferntail, huh? She's your apprentice! You can't just leave her like this!"

"She knows all the herbs, and she knows what they all do," Sandfur assured. "Besides, I've already made up my mind. I want our love to be easier on the both of us... And I can't do that if I'm a medicine cat."

He padded past her, out of the medicine den and into camp. Mudpool squeezed her way through the entrance in time to see him climb onto the Highbranch and call the Clan together for a meeting.

Confused heads poked their way out of the dens. No cat argued, simply padding into the clearing to assemble in front of the Highbranch.

Dawnstar herself exited the leader's den and looked up at him, her tail lashing. "Sandfur what is the meaning of this? Only the leader may call the Clan to order, unless I say otherwise."

Sandfur dipped his head to her. "I apologize, Dawnstar. But I have a very important announcement to make." He let his gaze travel over the crowd, and began to speak. "I have served LeafClan as its medicine cat ever since Blacktail died. I have worked hard to follow in his pawsteps, and I have trained my apprentice Ferntail to do the same. However, today I must announce that I am retiring as your medicine cat."

Confused murmurs spread through the Clan.

"What in the name of StarClan is this cat talking about?"

"Is he thinking of joining the elders?"

"He can't! He's far too young!"

"No, I am not joining the elders," Sandfur continued. "Not yet, anyways. I am going to retire as a medicine cat and become a warrior."

Dawnstar padded her way up to stand beside Sandfur on the Highbranch. "Sandfur, I respect your decision to do so. But I must ask, why? Are you sick? Are you not enjoying being a medicine cat?"

"No, I'm feeling fine, and I did enjoy being a medicine cat," Sandfur admitted. He leapt down, padding towards Mudpool who sat at the edge of the crowd, her eyes wide with disbelief. "But I have committed a terrible crime against the code of the medicine cats."

He finally sat down beside Mudpool, raising his voice so it could be heard by every cat. "I have fallen in love with a warrior."

A gasp, loud enough to be heard even by the other Clans in their territories, spread through the camp. No cat spoke, simply staring incredulously at the former medicine cat.

Finally, Dawnstar spoke atop the Highbranch. "Sandfur. It is brave of you to admit to doing so, and while I am disappointed in you for breaking the medicine cat code, I will respect your decision and allow you to resign as medicine cat and continue your Clan life as a warrior."

Sandfur dipped his head. "Thank you, Dawnstar. I will try to be the best warrior I can be."

"Wait!"

Mudpool turned her head in the direction of the voice. She spotted Ferntail sprinting up to them. "What about me, Sandfur?" Ferntail challenged. "Don't I get a say in this?"

"I'm sorry, Ferntail," Sandfur meowed. "But this is my decision."

"But what'll I do without you?" Ferntail mewed, her voice cracking. "What if I need your help with something?"

"You know all the herbs, and you know what they all do," Sandfur replied calmly. "And you can come see me anytime you need help, although I doubt you'll need it. You will be a fine medicine cat, possibly the greatest LeafClan has ever had."

Ferntail nodded slowly, glared at Mudpool, then padded off, her tail dragging along the dusty ground.

When Dawnstar leapt off the Highbranch, the assembled cats dispersed. Sandfur pressed his nose against the top of Mudpool's head. "Don't worry. Everything will be fine."

Mudpool looked at her mate, her eyes softening. "Thank you."

Sandfur padded away towards the warriors' den. _Probably to make his nest,_ Mudpool guessed. She was about to follow him when Hawkwing, Rockpool, Rainspots and Tigerstripe ran up to her. Hawkwing's tail was lashing angrily.

"Why didn't you tell us you were Sandfur's mate?" she demanded. "Did you not trust us?"

"We could've helped you!" Rockpool added.

"There could've been any other outcome other than Sandfur resigning as medicine cat!" Tigerstripe put in.

As they began to argue with Mudpool, Rainspots kept silent. Hawkwing was aware of this.

"Rainspots?" she stared at the mottled tabby she-cat. "Why haven't you said anything yet?"

Rainspots sighed. "I knew the entire time."

"Are you kidding me?!" Hawkwing yowled. "Is there anything else we need to know? Is one of you secretly working for MistClan or something?"  
"Oh give me a break!" Rainspots groaned. "Mudpool and Sandfur are so cute together! It would've been awful if I had told anyone else."

"We wouldn't have told anyone," Rockpool mewed. "We'd probably be doing what we're doing right now!"

"Listen to me for a second," Rainspots cut in. "Love is a wonderful emotion, whether it's love towards your family, your friends, or your mate. Sometimes love can be a very painful emotion. But one thing that I believe that never changes about love is this: It can be very foolish. But if both cats involved are happy... Why interfere with it?"

The five cats fell silent. Tigerstripe was the one to speak next. "I... Guess that's true."

"Sandfur and I are both happy," Mudpool meowed. "Sure, I may be a little disappointed that he isn't the medicine cat anymore... But my love for him hasn't changed."

The cats exchanged glances. Mudpool kneaded her paws anxiously against the dirt, awaiting their final answer.

Hawkwing looked at Mudpool. "Alright. We understand that you love Sandfur very much. We are all willing to accept that, right everyone?"

Rockpool, Rainspots and Tigerstripe nodded in response.

"And don't forget," Hawkwing added. "We're always here for you in case you ever need us."

"Thanks, everyone," Mudpool purred.

~o~o~o~o~

Mudpool padded alongside Sandfur towards the Great Maple. The full moon shone brightly in the night sky. Mudpool noticed that clouds drifted near the moon, making her shiver.

"Something wrong?" Sandfur asked.

"Maybe StarClan's angry that Dawnstar allowed us to come to the Gathering tonight," Mudpool fretted. "What if they send clouds to cover the moon?"

"That hasn't happened in a long time," Sandfur soothed. "And it probably won't happen tonight, either."

When they entered the clearing, Mudpool noticed that the cats from the other Clans seemed very tense, their eyes locked onto them, an odd fire seeming to burn in them.

When LeafClan took their place beneath the Great Maple, no cat made a move. There were no warm greetings, no cats coming to speak to them, nothing.

Dawnstar leapt up onto the Great Maple, settling herself into the crook of the two enormous branches. "Let the Gathering commence!"

Cloudstar of BreezeClan spoke first, speaking of new kits arriving, and lost prey. Flamestar of ShadeClan and Ivystar of MistClan hadn't had much else to say, either. When Dawnstar spoke, Mudpool noticed that the other leaders were glaring at her intensely. What is going on, here? Mudpool wondered.

By the time Dawnstar finished speaking, Ivystar spoke once again. "I would like to talk about the stolen prey. As we all know, it is going missing in all the territories. There is a possibility that it is simply rogues or kittypets stealing prey, or that the prey simply hasn't come out of their dens yet, but I believe it is a rival Clan stealing the prey."

Dawnstar stared at the MistClan leader. "But why would any Clan need prey from another territory when we are all losing prey?"

"Only one in denial would say that," Flamestar hissed.

"Are you accusing me of stealing prey?" Dawnstar demanded. "Maybe it is your Clan that is stealing from the others!"

"Or maybe BreezeClan could be stealing prey!" Ivystar yowled. "The rabbits on the moor don't run in leaf-bare. It's only natural that they would be stealing from another Clan!"

"Our Clan wouldn't want any of your river prey!" Cloudstar shot back. "Every cat knows we don't eat fish!"

"Exactly. Your Clan eats other land prey," Flamestar lashed his tail. "So you must be stealing from us!"

Yowls arose from the other Clans. Cats were hissing and spitting, others lashing out at each other, trying to start a fight.

Looking up at the moon, she noticed wispy clouds drifting across it. "StarClan is becoming angry with us." Pressing herself closer to Sandfur, she whispered, "I just want to know who's responsible for this prey-stealing, so we can go back to being friendly with the other Clans!"

"Enough."

A voice, smooth and commanding, rose from behind the Clans. They parted to reveal a slender, dark tortoiseshell she-cat standing there. Her eyes, which burned bright amber, were calm, but at the same time threatening. She padded forward, not one cat daring to stand in this strange cat's way. Sitting beneath the Great Maple, she spoke once more.

"I am the one responsible for the loss of prey."

Something in Mudpool's mind clicked. She recognized that voice. Looking closer, she realized she recognized that shape. Then it hit her. This was the cat she had been seeking. The cat who visited her dreams, time and time again. The cat who could very well have all the power in her paws to completely destroy the Clans.

Shadowheart.

* * *

**And so the villain has made her grand entrance. **

**Stay tuned!**


	21. Chapter 20

**Surprised to see this so early? I couldn't help myself, I was just too excited to keep it away from you all :D**

* * *

**Mudpool's Path- Chapter 20**

Dawnstar stared wide-eyed at Shadowheart. "Are you... Can you be...?"

Shadowheart looked up at the LeafClan leader, her voice cheerful. "Well if it isn't my sister, Dawnshadow! Well, I guess if you're up on the Great Maple, you would be known as Dawnstar now! How have you been, my sister? More importantly, how is our dear brother?"

Dawnstar flinched. "Our brother... He's-"

"Oh I nearly forgot!" Shadowheart sneered. Her amber eyes narrowed, and her ears flattened. "Blacktail is dead now, isn't he? Such a shame. The good news is, I know who killed him."

"No, you don't," Snowstorm hissed from the base of the trunk. "He was killed because of a rabbit that was stuffed with deathberries."

"Well, I wonder who could've done that?" Shadowheart padded closer towards the deputy. "A rabbit doesn't just stuff itself with deathberries, now does it?"

Mudpool could've sworn she had seen a glint of fear in her sister's green eyes. "Well, no. But-"

"Exactly." Shadowheart turned away from her. "Like I said before, I know who killed him."

"Then who did?" Ferntail challenged. She and the other medicine cats Icepool, Sweetberry, and Sunpelt glared at Shadowheart.

"It was none other than myself, of course," Shadowheart purred. The other Clans gaped at her, and she let her gaze travel over the other cats. "And it wasn't just Blacktail that I killed," she added. "I killed many more of them, all of them from one of your Clans. Every death that seemed to come out of nowhere? My doing."

"Why?" Ivystar snarled. "What did you honestly think you would accomplish by killing all these innocent cats?"

"Innocent?" Shadowheart spat. "Innocent? I was exiled from my Clan because of stupid rules made long ago by cats that don't even exist."

"Are you saying that StarClan is nothing but a story that we tell to our kits?" Thunderstep, the BreezeClan deputy, growled.

"Of course not," she replied smoothly. "All I'm saying is that they don't exist. They are nothing but a figment of your foolish imaginations. If StarClan did exist, then why didn't they cover the moon with clouds like they are supposed to when you started fighting?"

No cat spoke, and Shadowheart lifted her head in triumph. "You don't have a response, do you?" she went on. "It's as though you aren't even allowed to speak without consent from your 'warrior ancestors'. You believe you need permission from them for everything."

"You're lying."

Shadowheart hissed, and glared in the direction of the voice, which she found to be Mudpool. "Do you really think that you can deny the truth that I'm speaking?"

Mudpool stared right back at her. "The only thing you're speaking is a load of fox-dung. We make our own decisions. StarClan does not have the power to control our lives. They can guide us, and visit us in our dreams, but in the end it is up to us to decide where our destiny lies."

"Have StarClan really told you those lies?" Shadowheart crept closer to her. "Perhaps you've forgotten your little 'warrior code'. Your ancestors say you can make your own decisions, and yet they create this set of rules for you to follow, and they expect you to obey each and every single one of those rules."

Mudpool fell silent, and Shadowheart snorted. "That's what I thought."

"Why are you here, Shadowheart?" Dawnstar broke in, her blue eyes glittering. "In case you haven't noticed, we're in the middle of a Gathering."

"It seemed more like a fight from where I was standing, my sister," Shadowheart mewed. "Anyways, I was wandering through the territories many moons ago, admiring how quiet it was here rather than farther away, where I have been the past several seasons. Then I thought, 'It's so nice here. Much better than where I live. Maybe if I go back to the forest, I can live there.' So here I came."

"You came here to do more than that, I can tell," Dawnstar growled.

Shadowheart rolled her eyes. "You can be such a bore sometimes. In fact, that was my favorite thing about my exile, never having to listen to you blab on and on about the warrior code and StarClan and about how important they are."

"Get to the point."

"Of course, I didn't want to be a nuisance to any cat here, but I just loved this territory so much. So I decided, 'Why not give them a chance to fight for their territory? It would be much more fun than just walking in and demanding they give me territory,'" she continued. "Of course, it wouldn't be too fair of a fight, now would it. All of your Clans, versus me. I'd be outnumbered for sure."

"So you came to apologize?" Flamestar suggested.

"Of course not," Shadowheart sniffed. "When I want something, I make sure I get it, no matter what. So I left your territories for a short while, and when I was ready, I came back. Oh, and would you look at that! I'm ready!"

Foxfang, the MistClan deputy, slid his claws out, digging them into the dirt. "Well, come on then! We can each have a swipe at you, and you'll be finished before even half of us here have gotten a turn!"

"Well, how could it be fair if I didn't give you all a chance to prepare?" she asked.

Foxfang stepped back, sheathing his claws. "What do you mean?"

"When I said I was preparing, I wasn't talking about my battle skills."

Mudpool's ears pricked. "What have you been up to then?"

"Gathering other rogues, of course," she meowed. "I've been in a place called Twolegplace. There are many cats there, some of them loners, others are kittypets. But several more of them are rogues. I simply went to visit them, and I proved to them I was worthy of being considered their leader."

"And how may I ask did you do that?" Cloudstar asked.

"I killed the leader of a pack of dogs that was troubling them," she answered, giving her paw a lick and drawing it over her ear. "After that, I promised I would protect them and teach them how to fight if they did me a simple favour."

Mudpool knew what she was going to say next, but asked anyway, "What was that favour?"

Shadowheart lifted her head, and raised her voice. "To destroy the Clans that plagued the forest. We would be well fed for moons to come, and we would never have to worry about the threats that Twolegs pose to us!"

A gasp spread through the crowd. The leaders simply stared at her wide-eyed, not knowing what to say.

"Well?" Shadowheart turned to look up at the leaders, her amber eyes blazing. "Are you going to stand and fight? Or will you flee to another territory, if you can find one?"

When no cat replied, she went on. "I can give you until the next half-moon to decide. If you haven't fled by then, my group of rogues and I will shred your Clans to bits, until there is not one cat left to fight."

More silence. Shadowheart turned towards the entrance to the hollow. "I will leave you with those words. Remember, you have until the next half-moon to flee this forest. I suggest you make your minds up quickly."

Shadowheart padded out of the hollow, and when they were sure she was gone, the cats of the Clans stared up at their leaders.

"I... I think this Gathering is over," Dawnstar stated, leaping down from the Great Maple. "Come along, my Clan. We'd best be going."

"Wait!" Cloudstar called. "What do you think? What will we do?"

Dawnstar turned her head to stare at him, her eyes empty. "I don't know."

~o~o~o~o~

"She can't be thinking that we should run away," Hawkwing meowed when they had gotten back. The warriors had all assembled in their den beneath the spruce tree.

Birchpelt shifted uneasily. "But what can we do? Isn't this Shadowheart or whatever her name is Dawnstar's sister?"

"What does that have to do with anything?" Dapplescar asked from beside him.

"I think what he's trying to say is that Dawnstar wouldn't want to have to fight her sister," Snowstorm meowed. "And I think I understand that. No cat should have to fight their own kin."

"So are you saying we should give up and run away, too?" Streamtail challenged.

"No," Snowstorm replied calmly. "All I said was that I understand how Dawnstar feels. I don't think we should give up our territory, nor should the other Clans give up theirs. This forest was meant to be our home from the start."

"Exactly," Hawkwing meowed. "Why should we give our territory up to some ex-Clan cat just because she wants it?"

"But we don't know how big her group of rogues is," Nightclaw pointed out. "If it were just the size of a normal Clan, sure, but don't you remember that fight with the rogues when Icestar died?"

Birdwing nodded. "I thought I recognized Shadowheart's scent. Those rogues must have been a part of her group."

"Those rogues were at least the size of our Clan," Nutwhisker mused. "If the rest of her group is any bigger than that..."

"We'll be slaughtered," Nettlepelt finished for him. "Along with the rest of the Clans."

"What if the Clans joined together?" Riverflower suggested. "We would be stronger then."

"But there's too much tension between us," Mudpool meowed. "How can we convince them?"

"Don't you remember Cloudstar back at the Gathering?" Tigerstripe asked. "When we were about to leave he asked us what we would do."

"So?"

"So maybe he's thinking what Riverflower is thinking and that we should unite the Clans against Shadowheart."

"If he is," Maplefrost spoke up. "Then we should tell Dawnstar. We need to convince her to fight for our Clan, for all the Clans."

When Maplefrost headed for the entrance, Sandfur stopped him. "You'd be putting the lives of many warriors on the line, Maplefrost. And not just the lives of warriors, but the lives of all the cats in the Clan."

Maplefrost's ears pricked. "So that means..."

Sandfur nodded. "Your mate, kits and parents would be at risk here. Are you sure that this is what we should do?"

Maplefrost stood in the entrance for a moment that seemed like forever. He finally twitched his tail. "I would give my life to protect them." With that, he padded out of the den, towards the nursery.

"Why is he going there?" Streamtail wondered aloud.

"It doesn't just concern the warriors, remember?" Rainspots replied. "He must be going to tell Morninglight the plan."

"When should we tell Dawnstar?" Mudpool asked.

"I can talk to her tomorrow," Snowstorm offered. "You can come with me, if you like." Turning to the rest of the warriors, she meowed, "Does everyone here agree that we unite the Clans to drive out the rogues?"

"I do," Nutwhisker's eyes had a determined light in them that made Mudpool forget how old he was. "The Clans have been here for as long as I can remember. There's no way that these rogues are going to take over, not while I'm still standing."

"I'll fight," Nettlepelt added. "I won't just stand by and watch while my kits are fighting on their own."

"Same here," Birdwing mewed. "Shadowheart chose the wrong Clan to mess with!"

"So will I!"

"Me too!"

As the warriors spoke excitedly about the battle, Mudpool couldn't help but feel a growing sense of worry in her belly. She knew that Shadowheart had an immense group of rogues, far bigger than any of the Clans.

"I suggest that you all get some rest," Snowstorm meowed. "Mudpool and I will tell Dawnstar tomorrow about what our plan is, and when we do, I expect everyone to brush up on their fighting skills."

Mudpool and the other warriors settled down into their nests, and Sandfur pressed his nose to Mudpool's ear. "Everything will be fine," he assured.

"I hope you're right," Mudpool murmured. She shut her eyes, welcoming the sleep that quickly came to her.

* * *

**Except the next chapter will take a little bit more time to write. Sorry!**

**Stay tuned!**


	22. Chapter 21

**Shut up and take my chapter! XD**

* * *

**Mudpool's Path- Chapter 21**

Mudpool and Snowstorm padded into Dawnstar's den. Dawnstar was curled up in her nest, her eyes weary.

"Dawnstar." When Snowstorm called her name, the leader's head snapped up. Mudpool didn't think she had ever seen her leader look so... Despairing.

"What do you need?" Snowstorm rasped.

"We can't give up now, Dawnstar," Snowstorm urged. "This is our home. Our birthplace. Are we really going to let it go so easily?"

Dawnstar was silent, her eyes staring down at her paws. "I can't fight my own sister," she admitted. "Even if she is like this. It just... Doesn't feel right."

"I understand," Snowstorm's eyes softened. "I don't think I could ever bring myself to fight Mudpool or Silverclaw. They're just too important to me. But you have to realize that this is something we must do."

"Shadowfoot- I mean, Shadowheart was never like this," Dawnstar murmured. "She used to be so kind... So brave... I can't fight her now, not like this."

"Yes, you can" Mudpool urged.

Dawnstar looked up at her, blue eyes empty of any emotions. "How?"

"You don't have to fight her," Mudpool reminded her. "Fighting her will be my responsibility."

Dawnstar tilted her head, and it was then that Mudpool remembered that she hadn't yet told her leader about the prophecy she had recieved long ago. She briefly explained it, telling Dawnstar about how she had searched for the four other cats involved in the prophecy, and explaining how StarClan had told her that defeating this horrible cat was what she must do.

The black and white she-cat leaned back, taking in everything that her warrior had told her. "Mudpool... Why did you not bring this up before?"

"It was not important until late."

"It was always important, and you know that," Dawnstar said in response. "You know that I could've helped you with this. I could've told you that Shadowheart was my sister."

"I didn't know who this cat was at the time," Mudpool insisted. "I went to Grassnose first because that's what Icestar told me to do."

"He didn't specifically tell you to do that," Dawnstar retorted. "He told you to remind yourself of a conversation once held between two cats."

"Which is exactly what I did," Mudpool meowed, intent on finishing the subject. "Dawnstar, I didn't know who I could tell about the prophecy back when I first recieved it. The first cat I talked to about it was Sandfur, and he was a medicine cat. Don't medicine cats specialize in interpreting prophecies or signs from StarClan?"

Dawnstar sighed, realizing she was right. "Even with that being said Mudpool, I still hate the idea of having Shadowheart being fought against, by anyone."

Snowstorm finally spoke up. "Shadowheart has hurt many cats before now. She's hurting you emotionally right now, by almost forcing you to choose between fighting her or leaving the forest and taking the cats you love with you. Not to mention she's killed several of our warriors already. And you're still not wanting to fight her because of this?"

Dawnstar fell silent, looking down at her paws. When she looked up, her blue eyes glowed. "You're right."

"We are?" Mudpool and Snowstorm mewed in unison.

Dawnstar nodded. "She crossed the line when Icestar was killed. I know that those were her rogues that killed him because she and those rogues had scents that were very alike to one another. She may have been kind and brave long ago, but that side of her is gone now. It now seems as though the only language she speaks is violence."

"We and the other warriors had an idea last night," Snowstorm mentioned. "We know that there is a chance we can't do this alone. We must unite against the rogues with the three other Clans."

"Do you think that will work?" Dawnstar asked.

"It's worth a try."

The leader stood up, stretching out her back and legs. "Alright then. Come outside. I will announce what we will do about these rogues."

When the three cats exited the leader's den, the camp was already buzzing with the mingled voices of the cats.

Dawnstar leapt to the top of the Highbranch. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Highbranch for a Clan meeting!" she yowled.

The Clan was very quick when they came together, instantly lowering their voices to hear what their leader had to say.

"LeafClan, you have all heard of the threat that Shadowheart has left us," Dawnstar began. "I am here today to announce our decision."

Mews of worry spread through the crowd.

"Is she going to say we have to leave?"

"She can't! This is our home, isn't it?"

"And what about the kits?"

"Quiet down!" Dawnstar snapped. The cats fell silent, and she continued. "As I was saying, I have made my decision. We will stand and fight. We will not give Shadowheart what she wants just because she asks for it."

No cat spoke, but Mudpool could feel the excitement pulsing off of the cats like waves against the side of a river. She, too, could feel her tail quivering with excitement.

"However," Dawnstar meowed. "We cannot do this alone. There is every chance that we will be outnumbered, and that the rogues will overpower us. Therefore, we must convince the other Clans that we must join together to drive them out."

The other cats nodded in agreement, and Mudpool felt joy swell inside her heart. _It's working!_

"I will need a small group of warriors to go to each Clan," the leader explained. "The apprentices will stay behind. I don't want to risk the chance of the younger cats getting injured."

"We won't get injured!" Cloudpaw called out from among the crowd.

"Yeah! We can protect ourselves just fine!" Darkpaw added.

"You two haven't been apprentices for very long," Dawnstar pointed out. "You will do as you're told and stay behind at camp." Turning to Snowstorm, she meowed, "Organize the warriors into groups of four. Three of those groups will go to one of the other Clans, the one group left over will remain at camp."

Snowstorm tilted her head. "Why's that?"

"Well, we can't leave the camp completely unprotected, can we?" Dawnstar purred. "I'm counting on you."

Dawnstar leapt down from the Highbranch, retreating into her den. Snowstorm turned to look at the warriors gathered in front of her. She took a deep breath, then began to organize the groups.

"Um... Nutwhisker, Riverflower, Rockpool and Hawkwing, you'll all go to BreezeClan," she ordered. "Nettlepelt, Sandfur, Mudpool and Birchpelt, you'll go to ShadeClan, and Nightclaw, Streamtail, Maplefrost and Tigerstripe, you'll go to MistClan. Birdwing, Rainspots, Silverclaw and Dapplescar will stay behind at camp. Convince the leaders to meet at the Great Maple tomorrow at sunhigh."

Mudpool and her group headed out of the camp entrance, through the oak forest and to the ShadeClan border. When they had arrived, a pair of ShadeClan cats were marking the border. The black tom looked up, and Mudpool recognized him as Shadowfall.

"LeafClan?" he asked, looking behind them. "Why are you here?"

"We need to speak to Flamestar," Nettlepelt meowed. "Please. It's very urgent."

"Are you sure you're not here to attack us?" a dark brown tabby tom hissed.

"We are here for peaceful reasons, Talonstrike," Sandfur assured. "We promise."

The two toms exchanged a glance and, looking back at the LeafClan group, nodded. "Alright," Shadowfall turned towards the pine forest. "Stay close, and don't even think about touching a single piece of prey you happen to come across."

"Like we'd even want any of your prey," Birchpelt muttered under his breath.

They followed Shadowfall and Talonstrike into their territory, and Mudpool realized for the first time how different their territory was from LeafClan's. Aside from pine trees, there were also small cliffs and many rocky areas that had pine needles spread across them.

When they arrived at ShadeClan's camp, Mudpool gasped. She had never thought that ShadeClan was such a small Clan. There were no apprentices, and only one or two warriors were out of their dens.

Sweetberry peered out of the medicine den, which was much like LeafClan's medicine den in that it was in the cleft of a boulder. "What are you all doing here?"

"We must speak with Flamestar," Mudpool meowed.

Sweetberry nodded. "He's in his den."

Shadowfall and Talonstrike escorted the group to the entrance of Flamestar's den. Mousetail, the ShadeClan deputy, was sitting outside the entrance. He simply stared at them.

"I hear you must speak with Flamestar," he growled.

Birchpelt leaned over to whisper into Mudpool's ear, "How many more times do we have to say that?"

Mudpool gave the young warrior a gentle shove with her shoulder. "Not all of them have heard what we need to say yet. It's only natural they'd all be curious."

Mousetail poked his head into the leader's den. "Flamestar! There are some LeafClan cats out here who wish to speak to you!"

They waited for a couple of heartbeats, when Mousetail looked back at them again. "You should go inside."

Mousetail followed behind them as they headed into the cave that made the leader's den. In the darkness, Mudpool could just make out the bright ginger pelt of the ShadeClan leader. His amber eyes pierced through them.

"What is it?" he asked.

Nettlepelt stepped forward, dipping her head. "Flamestar, LeafClan has come up with a plan to defeat the rogues, but it cannot be done without your help."

Flamestar shook his head. "I won't help you. I am leaving with my Clan in a few days time."

"You're leaving?" Mudpool gasped. "Without even putting up a fight?"

"What else can I do?" he murmured. "You saw my Clan. We do not have enough warriors to defend ourselves. Moreover, we can't defend another Clan."

"But you have to fight!" Sandfur pleaded. "How would you feel if the other Clans found out you just instantly gave up without even raising a paw to defend yourselves?!"

That seemed to catch Flamestar's attention. He glared at Sandfur, who stood his ground. "Are you calling my Clan weak?" the leader hissed.

"We will be if you don't fight!" Sandfur urged. "Warriors are supposed to defend their territory, no matter the threat!"

"But these cats are completely outside the warrior code," Flamestar retorted. "They won't hesitate to kill us."

"Then if that's what will happen," Birchpelt stuck out his chest with pride. "Then that's what we'll do, too."

"The warrior code says an honourable warrior does not need to kill to win their battles," Mousetail put in.

"Unless it's necessary for self defense, or if the enemies are outside the warrior code," Mudpool meowed. "Didn't Flamestar just say these cats were outside the warrior code?"

The ShadeClan cats were silent, Flamestar keeping his head down. Mudpool guessed that they were feeling defeated, almost hopeless.

"The four Clans of the forest have lived in peace for moons," Mudpool went on. "Are you really going run away, while the remaining three struggle to keep our legacy alive?"

They still didn't speak, until Flamestar looked up, his eyes like fire. "No. No we won't."

"Then stand with us, and the rest of the Clans, and fight for not only your Clan, but for the rest of the Clans, and for peace."

Flamestar nodded, then turned to Mousetail. "Tell the rest of the Clan we will stand and fight."

"Yes, leader!"

Mousetail dashed out of the den, and Flamestar looked back at the group. "Is there anything else you need?"

Mudpool nodded. "The leaders need to meet tomorrow at sunhigh at the Great Maple. The other warriors of our Clan should be in the other Clans' camps right now trying to convince them to do the same thing."

Flamestar nodded. "I will come. Have a safe trip home. And may StarClan be with us all."

* * *

**And I will still torture you all with a long wait! XD**

**Stay tuned!**


	23. Chapter 22

**You're welcome :3**

* * *

**Mudpool's Path- Chapter 22**

When Mudpool, Sandfur, Nettlepelt and Birchpelt had arrived back at their own camp, the sun was already beginning to set beneath the treetops, coloring the sky pale orange. The group that had gone to BreezeClan was already back, chatting quietly near the warriors' den.

Dawnstar was pacing outside her den, looking up when Mudpool's group arrived. "Well? What did Flamestar say?" she demanded.

"He'll come to the Great Maple tomorrow," Nettlepelt declared. "What about Ivystar and Cloudstar?"

Rockpool looked up. "Cloudstar agreed right away. He's definitely not giving up the forest without a fight."

"But we haven't gotten any news about MistClan yet," Hawkwing mewed. "I'm guessing that trying to convince Ivystar to fight isn't going to be as easy as we all thought it would be."

Mudpool settled down beside them. "I guess it's only natural. We've never gotten a threat like this before."

"But why can't they just see that we have to protect the forest?" Birchpelt hissed, half to himself. "It's the only way!"

"Don't you remember those rogues that attacked us a long time ago?" Nutwhisker rasped. "Their group was nearly equal to the size of our Clan, possibly even larger. MistClan must be fearing that even if we do join together, our four Clans still won't be good enough to drive them out."

"They can't just give up hope like that, though!" Birchpelt snapped. "Why can't they just see that this is what we have to do?"

"Maybe they think that fighting isn't always the right answer," Riverflower put in. "They might just want to leave in peace so that they can avoid having to resort to violence."

"But if it does come down to a fight..." Sandfur sank his claws into the dirt. "We won't hold back."

With their conversation finally over, they waited longer for the MistClan group to come back. The sky had gotten dark when Mudpool's ears turned in the direction of a rustling noise coming from the camp entrance. At that moment, Nightclaw, Streamtail, Maplefrost and Tigerstripe arrived.

"It took a little persuading," Nightclaw began. "But we managed to convince Ivystar to join with us in driving out the rogues."

"Excellent," Dawnstar purred. "Did she agree to come to the Great Maple tomorrow?"

Tigerstripe nodded. "That was what took the most persuasion. She didn't want to leave her Clan behind, what with the threat of these rogues and everything."

"That's too bad," Nutwhisker mused. "I hope she knows they can do just fine, even if she does come to the Great Maple."

Dawnstar looked around at the cats. "I want all of you to get to sleep. Streamtail and Riverflower, I want you to guard the camp for the night."

The two cats nodded, exiting the camp to watch the entrance for intruders. As they did that, the rest of the warriors went to their dens, Mudpool curling up against Sandfur.

Sandfur licked her ear. "It's good that we persuaded Flamestar to fight the rogues, huh?"

"Yeah," Mudpool whispered. "I just hope that everything goes okay at the Great Maple tomorrow."

"I'm sure it will," Sandfur murmured. "Now get to sleep."

"Okay. Goodnight." Mudpool closed her eyes, welcoming the wave of sleep that came her way.

When she opened her eyes, she found that she was in a foggier version of the forest, not one tiny amount of sunlight shining through. She padded forward, only to find that she would just continue to walk on the same path forever.

"Who's there?" she shouted. "Show yourself!"

Up ahead, Shadowheart emerged from the wall of fog. "Did you miss me?"

"Hardly," Mudpool stated. "What do you want?"

Shadowheart purred, coming closer. "I just wanted to say good luck at the battle at the next half-moon, because you'll definitely need it."

Mudpool scoffed. "Oh, please. All I have to do is defeat you, and your rogues won't have anywhere to run, and they won't have anyone to take orders from."

Shadowheart's lips spread into a malicious grin. "You really believe I didn't think of that?"

Mudpool's ears pricked. "But... But you can't have anyone else to take over for you!" she stammered. "You're their only leader!"

"You really are foolish, aren't you?" Shadowheart mocked. "Then again, I wouldn't expect much from a cat like you. Of course I have someone to take over for me. In fact, not just one cat, but three, Flint, Scarlet and Rubble."

"Three?"

"Well, of course!" Shadowheart meowed. "I can't be too prepared, now can I?"

Mudpool rolled her eyes. "Why are you telling me this, especially when it comes to the names of those cats?"

"I'm a nice cat, Mudpool," Shadowheart replied. "I wanted to make sure you got a fair chance at this battle. Even if we both know you won't be able to put up much of a fight."

"The one thing I find the most ridiculous about what you've just said is that you called yourself nice," Mudpool retorted. "If you were so 'nice', you'd never have killed your former leader because you were jealous of the attention your brother got!"

Shadowheart narrowed her amber eyes, until they looked like tiny flames. "I should have been the deputy, instead of Icestar. It should have been me who was leader, instead of my idiot of a sister who doesn't even know how to run her Clan properly."

"Dawnstar is a better leader than you ever would have been!" Mudpool shot back. "You would have lead LeafClan to nothing but war and blood!"

"You have to use force to get what you want, Mudpool," Shadowheart mewed smoothly. "If you just use words, others will think you are a soft-hearted fool. Only force can ensure you get what you want."

Mudpool was about to respond, but Shadowheart turned away, heading back into the thick fog. "Be prepared, Mudpool. This will be one battle you cannot win."

"You're wrong!" Mudpool shouted after her as the fog swallowed the rogue up. "We will win! You and your rogues will not succeed in driving us out, believe me!"

She wanted to chase after the one she had considered the cruelest fox-heart the forest had ever known, but she decided against it, feeling it would be better to show Shadowheart how she really felt about her at the half-moon, when the battle would be.

Her dream began to fade, and Mudpool's eyes opened. She dug her claws into her mossy nest. _I have to warn Dawnstar,_ she thought. _I have to tell her that this battle may be more difficult than we once thought._

She got up, stretching her legs and back, and padded out of the den.

It was already near sunhigh, and the cats were already out and about. Snowstorm was organizing patrols, Silverclaw was leaving with Darkpaw to start with their training, and Dawnstar appeared to be ready to leave for the Great Maple at any time.

_Now's my chance._ Mudpool took a deep breath, and padded up to Dawnstar, who looked at her through proud eyes.

"Is there something you need, Mudpool?" she asked. "I'll be leaving shortly, so if you do need something, you should ask now."

"I just wanted to tell you that we should be prepared to face several enemies," Mudpool meowed. "Maybe we should, um, send some cats to other Clans before the battle?"

Dawnstar narrowed her blue eyes, tilting her head. "Send cats to another Clan? Why?"

"Just in case they're outnumbered," Mudpool suggested. "We both know that ShadeClan has a comparatively smaller Clan than the rest of us, so maybe, just for the battle, we could send some cats to their Clan so they have some extra help, in case they need it."

Dawnstar pondered this for a moment, and her gaze grew serious. "It might give the impression that I think they're weak, and that will only make things more difficult for all of us."

"Well like I said you could just say that it's for extra help in case they actually need it."

Dawnstar nodded. "True. I'll give it a try, but it may not work."

Mudpool dipped her head in respect. "Good luck, Dawnstar."

"Thank you Mudpool," Dawnstar mewed. "I just hope you're right, and they won't reject my offers."

The black and white she-cat walked up to Snowstorm, who looked like she hadn't gotten any sleep for several moons. "I'm leaving now. You're in charge of the Clan while I'm gone."

Snowstorm nodded. "May StarClan be with you."

Their leader padded out of the camp, and Mudpool looked at Snowstorm. "Is there anything that I can do?"

"Yes," Snowstorm replied. "I want you to help teach Sandfur and Ferntail how to fight with Nutwhisker. They may know basic skills, but they still haven't been properly trained. I've already told them what will be happening, so they should be waiting outside the camp entrance for you."

"Alright. Thanks Snowstorm."

With a gentle flick of her tail, Mudpool padded out of camp. She saw that Snowstorm was right. Nutwhisker and Sandfur looked at her eagerly. Ferntail, however, kept her head down, glaring at her paws.

"Ready to go?" Nutwhisker asked.

"Yep," Mudpool meowed. "Let's head out."

The group went on their way to the battle clearing, their pawsteps quick. Mudpool remembered the times when she was still an apprentice, training almost every day with Nutwhisker there. _Those were all such good memories,_ she reminisced. _I can't wait until we get there!_

Mudpool stared around excitedly when they had arrived at the battle clearing. It had hardly changed since the last time she had been there.

"Alright," Nutwhisker mewed. "Let's get started. Mudpool, you train with Ferntail, Sandfur you can come with me."

The group split up, and Ferntail sat down in front of Mudpool, curling her tail over her paws.

"I thought that we could start with the front paw blow," Mudpool mewed. "Does that sound okay to you?"

"I already learned that one," Ferntail replied flatly. "I used to be warrior apprentice, remember?"

Mudpool stifled an annoyed hiss. "Well, what haven't you learned?"

"Why can't we just have a practice fight for now?" Ferntail suggested. "I already know a few fighting moves and defensive techniques, after all."

"Alright fine," Mudpool lowered into an attack crouch. Then, she sprang.

She soon realized that Ferntail was far quicker than she had imagined, swerving out of the way as Mudpool landed. Ferntail darted quickly underneath Mudpool's belly, swiping at her back paws and tripping her in the process. She ducked and rolled out from beneath her.

"How was that?" Ferntail asked, licking a paw and drawing it over her ear.

"Not bad," Mudpool admitted. "But you need to be prepared for anything."

With that, she darted behind Ferntail, swiping at her back legs. When Ferntail spun around to counterattack, Mudpool brought her front paw down on Ferntail's head, dazing her. She then shoved the medicine cat over, pinning her down with her paws.

Ferntail seemed to expect this, however, as she thrust her back paws into Mudpool's belly, throwing her off. She sprang to her paws, running towards Mudpool and swiping at her muzzle with a sheathed paw. When the dazed look in Mudpool's eyes had faded, Ferntail had already sprang onto her back, wrapping her paws around Mudpool and dragging her down to the ground.

"Give up?" Ferntail asked with an amused tone in her voice.

Mudpool spat out clumps of dirt, guessing that Ferntail had been wanting to do that to her for a while. "Yes. I give in. You fought well."

Ferntail lifted her tail proudly. "I used to go out into the forest and watch the warriors train their apprentices. I kept practicing the moves they used until I thought I got them all right."

Mudpool's green eyes widened in surprise. "Really? I'm impressed. But I still think we should refresh on your old moves."

Ferntail nodded, heading to a corner of the battle clearing so that they could train some more. The longer they trained, the more Mudpool could tell that Ferntail would be quite deadly in the upcoming battle if she had to fight. When they practiced forepaw slashed on one of the trees, Ferntail was able to scrape off strips of bark.

_She would've made a great warrior,_ Mudpool thought proudly.

Looking over at Nutwhisker and Sandfur, Mudpool could see that Sandfur was making good progress as well. Even if he had never gotten much training in fighting or defense, he caught onto Nutwhisker's lessons easily, mirroring his movements as though they were his own, occasionally even trying them out on Nutwhisker.

Mudpool purred to herself. _Shadowheart had better watch out. _

When the group had finished training, it was already sundown.

"We've all done great today," Nutwhisker mewed. "Sandfur and Ferntail, I'm impressed with the progress you've made today. Go back to camp and get some fresh-kill and some rest. We'll be doing this again tomorrow."

Ferntail walked alongside Mudpool on the way back to camp. She turned to Mudpool, her green eyes bright. "Thanks for helping me fight today, Mudpool."

"It was no problem," Mudpool replied. "Like Nutwhisker said, you did great today."

After a short pause, Ferntail spoke again. "I forgive you."

"What?"

"I forgive you," she repeated. "For not telling me about Dapplescar and I about being rogues, and for being Sandfur's mate while he was still a medicine cat. I know now that you only thought you were doing the right thing. I'm sorry for holding all this against you for such a long time."

Mudpool stared incredulously at the young medicine cat. She expected this to be some kind of joke, but Ferntail looked completely serious. Mudpool's voice shook when she finally replied. "Thank you."

Ferntail nodded. "It'll be fun to fight alongside you in the battle."

"If you have to fight," Mudpool reminded her. "It'll be a disaster if the medicine cat gets injured in battle."

Ferntail purred. "I guess you're right."

The cats had finally arrived back at camp, and Mudpool saw that Dawnstar had come back.

"How did everything go?" Mudpool asked. "Was there any arguing? Did any rogues show up?"

"Relax, Mudpool," Dawnstar meowed. "Everything was fine. The leaders and I have all agreed to fight together. Even better, we have all agreed to send some cats to one of the other Clans in case they need help."

"Really? Flamestar didn't object to it?"

Dawnstar let out an amused purr. "Of course he did. It took a little persuasion as everything usually does with him, but he eventually agreed it would be wise."

Mudpool let out a relieved sigh. "Well that's good."

Mudpool and Dawnstar left for their respective dens, and Mudpool noticed that Hawkwing, Rockpool, Rainspots and Tigerstripe were busy chatting.

Hawkwing looked up as Mudpool entered. "What's up?"

"You remember those times when Shadowheart visited me in my dreams, right?" Mudpool mentioned.

Rainspots narrowed her eyes. "Yeah, what about them?"

"She visited me again last night."

At that instant, they all crowded around her, eager to hear what she was going to say.

Mudpool glanced around the den, making sure no cats were around to hear. Luckily, there were no cats around, all of them either out sharing tongues and having what little fresh-kill they had, or doing patrols.

Relieved, Mudpool briefly explained the dream, about how Shadowheart had told her there were three cats to take over for her if she had died.

"She's really prepared herself, hasn't she?" Tigerstripe meowed when Mudpool had finished. "What do you suppose we can do?"

"If they plan to each go to the other Clans' territories, we could all follow them," Rockpool suggested. "We can work together with that specific Clan to defeat them."

"Maybe," Mudpool considered. "But we'd all have to be prepared in case that actually does happen."

"I can go to BreezeClan," Hawkwing offered.

"I'll go to MistClan," Rockpool added.

"And I'll take ShadeClan," Tigerstripe meowed.

"That sounds good," Mudpool turned to Rainspots. "If Shadowheart heads away from the Clans, I'll go after her. You'll be in charge of LeafClan."

Rainspots nodded. "Understood."

"I just hope that this plan will work," Tigerstripe fretted. "We can't allow this plan to go wrong."

"We were chosen by StarClan, remember?" Hawkwing assured. "We'll do fine!"

* * *

**Please review. That's all I ask. I want to know how I'm doing with this :)**

**Stay tuned!**


	24. Chapter 23

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Mudpool's Path- Chapter 23**

Over the next few days, the Clans trained harder than they ever had before. Morninglight was being trained to defend her kits by Maplefrost. Even the elders Goldpetal and Mosseyes were being trained to defend themselves, if the rogues had gotten as far as the camp. The days were going by quickly, and before they all knew it, it was the day before the battle.

Dawnstar leapt onto the Highbranch, yowling for the Clan to gather. Mudpool lifted her head from her nest, then exited the warriors' den to sit next to Sandfur.

"As you all know, the battle will begin tomorrow," Dawnstar began. "The Clan leaders and I have all agreed that we will send one of our cats to their Clans, so that we may catch the rogues off-guard with our combined fighting skills."

Meows of agreement spread through the crowd, but Dapplescar's concerned voice rose above them. "What about ShadeClan? Will they send any cats?"

Dawnstar shook her head. "Considering ShadeClan is smaller than the other Clans, they will not be sending out any of their cats."

"That doesn't seem very fair," Nightclaw meowed. "Why must we send out cats while ShadeClan gets to keep all of theirs?"

"If they sent out any more of their cats, they'd end up having a smaller number to keep at their camp," Riverflower retorted calmly.

"Settle down," Dawnstar interrupted, not wanting to start an argument. "Snowstorm has recommended that I send Hawkwing to BreezeClan, Rockpool to MistClan, and Tigerstripe to ShadeClan. Is that alright with you three?"

The three cats nodded, staring at Mudpool as though to ask, "Did you have something to do with this?"

Mudpool's tail twitched with amusement, and she nodded. She had asked Snowstorm earlier to recommend this idea to Dawnstar. "She'd take recommendations from a deputy better than she would a warrior," Mudpool had said.

"MistClan will be sending Splashfur here," Dawnstar continued. "And BreezeClan will be sending Petalnose and Dawnheart." Turning to Hawkwing, Rockpool and Tigerstripe, she added, "You should depart as soon as you can. Everyone else should continue with their battle preparations. That is all."

Dawnstar leapt down from the Highbranch, padding over to Snowstorm. The rest of the cats dispersed, and Mudpool stopped Hawkwing, Rockpool and Tigerstripe at the entrance.

"I just wanted to say good luck," Mudpool meowed.

Hawkwing purred. "Thanks Mudpool. You too. We'll all do our best to make sure these rogues don't win!"

Rockpool puffed out her chest. "That's right! We'll show them that they picked the wrong Clans to mess with!"

"We were chosen by StarClan, after all!" Tigerstripe added. "They don't have a chance."

Mudpool nodded. Wishing them one more final goodbye, she padded over to Ferntail, who was organizing her herbs. "Do you need any help?"

Ferntail looked up. "I was just about to go out to fetch some more marigold and cobwebs. Do you want to come?"

Mudpool nodded, and the two of them headed out into the forest. The trees were beginning to grow their leaves back and the grass, instead of appearing brown, was now lush and green, soft beneath Mudpool's paws.

"We should be able to find marigold somewhere near the MistClan border," Ferntail mewed. "Cobwebs can be found in tree trunks or in logs."

Mudpool nodded, looking around for any sign of the cobwebs. She padded up to a tree, peering inside of a small hole in the trunk. Sure enough, there was a moderately-sized web inside. Mudpool carefully reached her paw in, careful not to pick up the spider, and dragged out the cobweb.

"Is this good?" she asked, holding up the web.

Ferntail looked at it for a moment and nodded. "Put it on a stick so you can hold it in your mouth while not having to worry about it being stuck there."

Mudpool picked up a twig in her mouth, hooking the cobweb onto it. She inspected the other trees, finding more cobwebs along the way. With that done, she followed Ferntail to the MistClan border.

Ferntail padded over to a small clump of yellow flowers. "This is the marigold," she meowed. "We can take as much as we can carry."

Ferntail dug her claws into the ground, digging up the roots. She picked up the marigold in her mouth and began to head back, until she heard a rustling in the bushes on the other side of the border. Mudpool padded up beside Ferntail, unsheathing her claws in case it was a hostile cat, but sheathed them again when she saw it was only Splashfur.

"Hi Splashfur," Ferntail greeted. "Were you waiting for a patrol?"

The gray and white she-cat nodded. "It would be impolite to just come into your territory uninvited, wouldn't it?"

Ferntail chuckled. "I suppose so. We were just looking for some more marigold for the battle tomorrow."

"As well as some cobwebs," Mudpool meowed around the stick that was in her mouth.

"Icepool, our medicine cat, said you might need some herbs." Splashfur picked up a leaf wrap at her paws. "So she told me to bring this with me just in case."

"That was thoughtful of her," Ferntail purred. "It looks like our job here is done. We can take you to our camp, if you like."

Splashfur picked up the leaf wrap and followed the two of them back to camp. When Mudpool arrived, she saw that Petalnose and Dawnheart were there as well. Mudpool realized that when every cat said these two looked alike, they weren't kidding. Petalnose was a cream tabby with green eyes, while Dawnheart was cream and white with blue eyes.

Snowstorm padded over to Mudpool and Ferntail. "You brought Splashfur?"

Mudpool nodded. "She was waiting at the border for a patrol. We let her come back to camp with us."

Snowstorm dipped her head politely in greeting. "It's a pleasure to have you here, Splashfur. We'll be glad to have you fight alongside our Clan."

"Thank you, Snowstorm," Splashfur mewed. "The honor is all mine."

Snowstorm took Splashfur off to the warriors' den, probably to show her where her nest would be, Mudpool guessed. Mudpool noticed that Petalnose and Dawnheart were coming over to her.

"You're Mudpool, right?" Petalnose asked.

"Yes, I am," she replied. "And you're Petalnose and Dawnheart?"

"That's right," Dawnheart meowed. "We met at that Gathering a long time ago, when we were all apprentices, remember?"

Mudpool nodded. _They sure have an odd way of speaking,_ she thought, noticing they had barely any emotion in their voices when they spoke.

"I'll be in the medicine den, Mudpool," Ferntail said suddenly. "Don't forget to bring those cobwebs to me."

Mudpool remembered the stick in her mouth and, nodding a goodbye to Petalnose and Dawnheart, padded after Ferntail.

"Just put them over there by the juniper berries," Ferntail pointed with her tail towards a small pile of dark blue berries in the corner of the den.

Mudpool obeyed, hooking the cobwebs gently onto her claw and laying them down.

Ferntail nodded her thanks. "That's all I think we need to do. Thanks for your help, Mudpool."

Mudpool exited the medicine den. The camp was buzzing with activity. Splashfur, Dawnheart and Petalnose were leaving the camp with Snowstorm and Cloudpaw, with Silverclaw and Darkpaw coming back as they left, the cats' jaws full of fresh-kill.

_We're ready,_ Mudpool thought. _The battle is tomorrow, and when the time comes... Shadowheart won't stand a chance. _

~o~o~o~o~

Mudpool stared up at the moon, which was nearly half full. She nearly jumped when she felt fur brush her side, relaxing when she realized it was only Sandfur.

"Need some company?" he asked, his amber eyes concerned.

"Yeah," Mudpool sighed, leaning onto his shoulder.

"You worried about the battle tomorrow?" Sandfur asked. "I know I am."

Mudpool shrugged. "Kind of. It's the biggest battle we've ever fought in, and there's a chance we might actually lose. But at the same time... I know we'll be okay."

"That's right," Sandfur mewed. "We have the other Clans fighting with us, and StarClan is always watching over us."

Mudpool looked up at her mate, her green eyes gleaming with emotion. "If we do win... What do you think will happen?"

"Well, there'll probably be a big celebration, and we'll be telling the story to the kits for seasons-"

Mudpool purred. "No, I meant with us. What do you think we'll do after the battle?"

"Are you saying you want kits?" Sandfur asked mischievously.

Mudpool nudged him lovingly with her shoulder. "Maybe."

"We'll have to see then," he replied. "If we do have kits, I'm sure you'll be a wonderful mother."

"And you'll be an even better father."

Their tails twinned, and they touched noses.

"I love you," Sandfur whispered.

Mudpool's voice shook as she responded. "I love you, too."

~o~o~o~o~

Mudpool looked back at the camp as they departed, hoping that she would be able to see it again. It was finally the night of the half-moon, and the night of the great battle. The moon was already high in the sky, shining brightly as though nothing was wrong.

Darkpaw and Cloudpaw watched as they left, standing alongside Goldpetal, Mosseyes, Petalnose, Dawnheart, Nightclaw, Nettlepelt Maplefrost and Rainspots. They all looked ready for battle.

"If anything happens, you come back to camp as quickly as you can," Rainspots meowed to Mudpool. "Remember, you are never alone."

Mudpool nodded, feeling her throat tighten. "I'll do my best. I'll defeat Shadowheart, and any other rogue I happen to come across."

Silverclaw touched his nose to Darkpaw's, as Snowstorm did the same with her apprentice. His eyes were serious. "Don't be reckless," Silverclaw told him. "But remember to protect the Clan with your life."

Darkpaw nodded. "I won't let you down. I'll use every move that you taught me."

"You do the same, Cloudpaw," Snowstorm mewed. "Don't forget, your Clanmates are always here to fight with you."

"Of course," Cloudpaw replied. "You do your best too, Snowstorm!"

The deputy purred, then padded up to Dawnstar. "We're ready. Lead the way."

Dawnstar looked back at her Clanmates. Nutwhisker and Birdwing were right behind her, with Riverflower and Streamtail right behind them. Sandfur and Mudpool stood side by side, and at the back were Silverclaw and Dapplescar. Ferntail would stay behind at camp, having herbs ready for any cat that needed them. Splashfur would serve as a messenger, ready to run to the battle with herbs, or to send messages to the other Clans.

"Before we leave, I want to say one thing," Dawnstar meowed. "These cats are rogues. Their leader, Shadowheart, was a Clan cat who went outside the warrior code and killed her leader. The warrior code says we shouldn't kill unless it is for self defense, or if said cat is outside the warrior code. So when fighting these rogues, and I don't say this often..." Her eyes suddenly hardened, showing complete seriousness. "Show no mercy."

They bounded through the forest, their combined pawsteps making the ground feel as though it were trembling. No cat appeared to be afraid of what they might face, and their eyes gleamed with determination.

They crossed the border leading to the Great Maple, and saw that the other Clans were already there.

"This is it," Cloudstar meowed.

"Our enemy lies just beyond these bushes," Ivystar observed. "She looks kind of impatient."

Flamestar's tail twitched half-heartedly. "What a surprise. When we first met her, she seemed like a new apprentice, ready to head out of camp for the first time."

"We'd best not keep her waiting," Dawnstar meowed. "Are we ready?"

Every cat that had come nodded. Among them, Mudpool could see the determined faces of Hawkwing, Rockpool and Tigerstripe.

"Then let's go meet our enemy."

They padded into the large clearing. Shadowheart looked up, a mix of surprise and excitement glowing in her eyes. Mudpool realized with horror that there was an enormous amount of cats behind her.

"How wonderful it is to see you," Shadowheart sneered. "It appears as though you actually plan on fighting."

"Of course we do," Dawnstar hissed. "Did you really think we'd run away like cowards?"

"I was hoping you would, but this will have to do," Shadowheart sighed. She twitched her tail, and three cats stepped forward. "I don't believe you've met some of my friends." She padded past the enormous dark gray tom. "This is Flint. The ginger she-cat is Scarlet."

Mudpool stared at Scarlet. The cat had certainly earned her name, as she was covered head to tail in scars, one even stretching from the corner of her eye down to her shoulder.

Shadowheart pointed with her tail at a smaller pale gray tom. "And this is Rubble. But enough with the talking. Now is the time for battle."

As the cats readied themselves, crouching into attack positions, a voice rang out. "Stop!"

Mudpool looked up in astonishment, only to see Snowstorm approach Shadowheart.

"It doesn't have to be this way, Shadowheart," Snowstorm pleaded. "We can talk. We don't have to fight."

"I think we do," Shadowheart replied. "Step aside. We have a battle to begin."

"Then fight me!" Snowstorm challenged. "You've done nothing but cower behind your rogues while they do all your dirty work. If you're so strong, then show me!"

Flint hissed, his muscles rippling beneath his pelt. "Shall I shred this one, Shadowheart?"

Shadowheart lifted her tail for the tom to be quiet. "If she wants to battle me alone, she can."

"Snowstorm what are you doing?" Silverclaw protested. "Get back!"

"No," Snowstorm stated. "I'm going to show Shadowheart that she can't just come in here and kill us all."

With that, Snowstorm sprang onto Shadowheart, aiming slashes directly at her muzzle. Shadowheart pushed Snowstorm off of her, licking up the drops of blood that fell. She pinned Snowstorm down onto the ground, clawing at her throat.

"No! Snowstorm!" Silverclaw thrust through the crowd of cats, only to be held back by Dawnstar.

"Don't interfere!" Dawnstar urged. "You have to have confidence in her!"

"But she'll be killed!" Silverclaw snapped. "Someone has to do something!"

Snowstorm rolled away from Shadowheart, panting heavily. Blood was dripping from the wounds Shadowheart had inflicted on her throat. She ignored it, and sprang at the rogue again. Shadowheart grabbed her scruff in her jaws, hard enough to draw blood, and shook the deputy, throwing her against the ground. Before Snowstorm could recover, Shadowheart pinned her down once again, holding up a paw, the long claws glinting in the moonlight.

"It appears you've made a mistake in challenging me," Shadowheart snarled.

Mudpool watched in horror as Shadowheart hooked her claws underneath Snowstorm's neck wound, causing her to screech in pain. Shadowheart ripped her claws down her stomach, making the wound even larger. Blood pooled onto the ground, and Snowstorm's struggles grew weaker.

Shadowheart didn't stop, though. Lifting her claws from the enormous wound, she raked them across Snowstorm's muzzle, mauling her face.

Snowstorm didn't have enough time to cry out in pain again, as she gave one enormous shudder, before falling still. She was dead.

Mudpool felt as though something inside of her had broken. Like something inside her heart had been completely torn apart, and tossed aside.

Shadowheart glared at Dawnstar. "Your deputy shouldn't have picked a fight like that," she growled. "Now do you see what little chance you have at winning against me?"

Dawnstar didn't respond, only staring at the puddle of blood beneath Snowstorm's body. It had stopped growing, but it stained the dirt completely. Then she looked up, her eyes like shards of ice. "I'll make you regret doing that."

Shadowheart's mouth spread into a cruel grin, her teeth still dripping with Snowstorm's blood. "Then let's see what you can do!"

Mudpool went into an attack crouch. _This is it. The final battle. _

Shadowheart lifted her muzzle into the air and yowled, "Go! Attack!"

* * *

**... And suddenly, cliffhanger. Boo yah. **

**BUT DON'T WORRY!**

**You won't have to wait too long!**

**(I hope...)**


	25. Chapter 24

**In this specific chapter, we will see through the perspectives of Hawkwing, Rockpool, Tigerstripe and Mudpool, in that order. **

* * *

**Mudpool's Path- Chapter 24**

Mudpool leapt at Shadowheart, who quickly darted out of the way, and out of sight. Yowls began to fill the air as the battle began. Cats swarmed around Mudpool, and she could just make out the shapes of Flint, Scarlet and Rubble darting off in different directions, realizing that they were heading in the directions of the other three Clans.

"Hawkwing! Rockpool! Tigerstripe!" she called, hoping her friends would hear her. Relieved, she saw that they understood, and were already off to help their designated Clans. _Be safe,_ she quietly urged as she, too, charged into the throng of battling cats, hoping to find Shadowheart along the way.

~o~o~o~o~

Hawkwing raced over the hills that lead to the BreezeClan camp. She had never had to run this fast, not even when hunting. This time was different, though. This time, she was racing to save the Clans.

When she finally arrived at the camp, her eyes widened with horror when she realized the rogues had already beat her here. BreezeClan didn't look outnumbered, but the rogues were pushing them back, surrounding them. Foxtail and Hollyberry, the newer BreezeClan warriors, were fighting side by side, their pawswipes mirroring each other.

With a screech, she sprang onto the nearest rogue, sinking her teeth into his scruff. He yowled, swinging back and forth trying to shake her off. Hawkwing gripped his shoulders with her claws, and only let go when a pair of jaws pried her off.

Looking up at her attackers, her fur bristled when she saw that they were ganging up on her.

"You think you can take me down that easily?" she spat. "Keep dreaming!"

She lashed out at the nearest rogue with unsheathed claws, yowling in triumph when they raked across the cat's muzzle, spraying its blood across the ground. The rogue charged at her, teeth bared. Hawkwing darted out of the way, just in time to see Featherheart fighting a large tom in front of the nursery.

"Get back, you filthy fox-heart!" Featherheart snarled. "I won't let you come any closer!"

"What brave words," he mocked. "But words will get you nowhere." He swatted her out of the way, slowly approaching the nursery, his eyes glowing with insanity.

Hawkwing sprinted towards him, darting under his belly and slashing at his forepaws with her claws. The rogue hissed, whipping his head around to spot his attacker. Hawkwing sprang up in front of him, raising her paw.

"Welcome to the forest." She swung at his muzzle, hooking her claws into his lip. He pulled back, causing blood to ooze from the wound. Featherheart then got up, grasping his tail in her teeth and pulling as hard as she could. The tom yowled, and ran off, tail between his legs.

Featherheart turned to Hawkwing, her eyes brimming with gratitude. "Thank you for saving my kits," she meowed quietly.

Hawkwing dipped her head, then brought her attention back to the battle. Her eyes darted to the center of the battling rogues, noticing that Rubble, the pale gray tom, was watching over them.

A growl rose in her throat. These rogues were not going to get away with this. She began to sprint towards him, until a rogue slammed into her side, knocking the wind out of her.

"You'll be slaughtered, just like the rest of these filthy Clan cats, if you lay one paw on Rubble," the rogue hissed into her ear.

She thrust her hind legs into his stomach, and sprang to her paws as he shook his head, trying to recover. "Try me!" She charged at him, sinking her teeth into his throat. The tom struggled in her grip, and she let go when she tasted his blood. Giving her one last glare, he struggled to run out of the camp.  
"Oh, no you don't!" Hawkwing looked up as she saw Heatherfoot spring onto the tom, sinking her claws into his shoulders.

"You're not going anywhere!" she declared. Heatherfoot sank her teeth into the tom's scruff, and Hawkwing saw blood dripping through his pelt. The rogue's legs shook, and he finally collapsed, unmoving, onto the ground.

"That's what he gets for trying to run us out of the forest!" Heatherfoot hissed, before padding quickly back to the fight.

Hawkwing shrugged, then continued to shove her way through the crowd of fighting cats, coming face to face with Rubble. The tom was surprisingly handsome for a rogue.

"So you're the cat Shadowheart has told us about," he meowed smoothly. "Hawkwing?"

She wasn't fooled by his obviously fake kindness. "That's right. And you're going down!"

All traces of friendliness disappeared, his eyes glinting with malice. "Bring it on!"

He was the first to make a move, darting quickly towards her and swiping his claws at her ears. She winced when they made contact, her ear now feeling as though it were burning. Hawkwing retaliated by ramming into him, knocking him onto his back and exposing his belly fur. She wasted no time in pinning him down, raking his belly with her back claws. While she did this, she brought up a paw and brought it down hard onto his muzzle.

Rubble thrust her off, springing to his paws. "You'll have to try better than that to defeat me," he growled. Quick as a fox, he darted under her belly, slashing at her forepaws. She twisted around, not knowing where he'd attack next. Much to her surprise, he attacked her from the side, hooking his claws into her fur and dragging her down onto the ground.

When she tried to get up again, he pinned her down with one paw, claws unsheathed. "I'd recommend giving up now," he purred, cruelty dripping from every word. "Try any harder, and I won't even have to try killing you. You'll just end up killing yourself."

Hawkwing glared up at him, when she got an idea. Tucking in her chin, she grabbed Rubble's paw in her mouth, biting down as hard as she could. He yowled, yanking his paw desperately to get it out. Hawkwing took this chance to thrust herself upward, shoving him off her.

"I'm sorry," she snarled. "But my leader told us that if it were necessary for self-defense, or if a cat is outside the warrior code, I show no mercy."

She pinned him down again, sinking her teeth into his throat. Blood gushed out of the wound, seeping into her mouth. She gagged, but resisted the urge to let go. Rubble struggled vainly to free himself, but he soon grew weak, and shuddered before he fell still, showing no signs that he was alive.

Hawkwing spat out clots of blood and fur as the rogues turned to stare at the dead body of their temporary leader.

"Rubble is dead!" one of them yowled. "Rubble is dead!"

The rogues quickly fled, some of them even collapsing onto the ground, their breath quickly leaving their bodies.

Hawkwing looked up as Owlpelt limped towards her. "Thank you, Hawkwing," he meowed, dipping his head. "Please, quickly go to Sunpelt to get your wounds treated."

Hawkwing remembered her wounded ear, as well as wounds on her legs and neck. She nodded gratefully to Owlpelt, and padded towards the medicine den where Sunpelt waited, hoping that Rockpool and Tigerstripe were just as successful.

~o~o~o~o~

Rockpool stared at the river that rushed downstream in front of her. Carefully, she leapt onto each rock, safely crossing it and sprinting once she reached the other side.

In the distance, she could see the rogues, swiftly making their way towards the camp. She ran harder, fearing that her legs might give out. Luckily, she caught up to one of the rogues, leaping on top of him as they entered the camp.

The rogue twisted around, aiming his teeth at Rockpool's throat. She darted out of the way, flinching as she heard the snap of his jaws where her throat used to be. She dug her hind claws into his belly, slashing at his throat and muzzle at the same time. The rogue screeched, flinging her off and running away.

Struggling to her paws, she saw that the rogues were wasting no time in singling out each warrior, forcing them into one-on-one fights. Her attention was brought to Eagleclaw, who was backed up against the stream that served as a barrier to the camp.

Rockpool darted towards him, pushing the rogue out of the way just as it was about to deliver a killing bite to the weakening warrior.

"Eagleclaw! Are you alright?" she demanded.

He looked up, the light in his eyes fading. "I will be soon... StarClan is waiting for me."

"You can't die!" Rockpool meowed, her tail lashing. "You have to stay and fight!"

"I can't," Eagleclaw whispered. "I'm too weak now. But please... Tell Mudpool that I... I never stopped... Loving her..."

Eagleclaw gave one more shuddering breath before falling still, his blood oozing onto the grassy floor of the camp.

"Wait!" Rockpool begged. "What do you mean?"

She was taken by surprise when the rogue she had pushed aside rammed into her, throwing her onto her back and pinning her down. "I thought you were warriors!" he taunted into her ear. "I never expected you all to be so weak!"

"Oh, shut up already!" Rockpool wriggled free and whirled around. She unsheathed her claws, then lashed out at the tom who attacked her, slashing through his chest, coating her paw in blood.

The tom hissed, grabbing Rockpool's paw in his mouth as she began to withdraw it. She winced, and pulled her paw back, slashing her claws across his face. While he was still dazed, she darted under his belly, flipped onto her back, and powerfully thrust her hind legs into his belly. As he flew across the camp floor, Rockpool chased after him, leaping onto his back and clawing out tufts of fur from his shoulders.

He yowled, throwing Rockpool off and fleeing from the camp. Rockpool held her head up in triumph. She suddenly remembered the burning pain in her paw, wincing as she touched it to the ground. She limped towards the medicine den quickly, trying to detect the scent of herbs.

Just as she thought she found the medicine den, she was knocked off her paws and onto her back, staring into the dark blue eyes of one of the rogues. This rogue was huge, almost the size of Thunderstep, and blood dripped from his pelt. She suddenly realized this was one of the cats Shadowheart had introduced, as well as one of the temporary rogue leaders, Flint.

"My leader has told me that you're one of those silly 'prophecied' cats," he snarled. "StarClan doesn't exist, and neither does your prophecy. It's nothing but tales for kits. Which means, you're nothing special."

Rockpool struggled, but Flint placed a paw on her throat, unsheathing his long claws. Thinking quickly, Rockpool slowed her breathing, fell limp, and shut her eyes, hoping Flint would fall for the trick.

To her dismay, he didn't believe it for a second. "That's the oldest battle technique ever thought. You'll have to do better than that." He swatted her away, against a rock with one of his enormous paws. Dazed, Rockpool looked up, only to see his raised paw, ready to strike a killing blow.

"Get away from her!"

A black cat slammed into Flint's side, and Rockpool felt her shoulder being supported, propping her up off the ground.

Mossnose, the cat helping her up, gazed at her with concern. "Are you okay?" she asked.

"I am now," Rockpool sighed. "I was almost turned into crowfood!"

Ravensky landed in front of them on his side, his chest heaving. Flint came back, his eyes glittering with disgust. "You traitor!" he snarled at Ravensky. "I knew we couldn't trust you, not for one second!"

Ravensky struggled to his paws. "Leave now, Flint," he rasped. "I have no quarrel with you."

"You left us to come here," Flint went on. "You are nothing but a traitorous piece of fox-dung, and you deserve what I'm about to give to you."

Mossnose glared at the rogue, her neck fur rising. "You can't talk to my mate like that."

"And you even found a mate!" he purred dryly. "What's she going to do? Nag me to leave you alone?"

"No," Mossnose responded. "She's going to drag your sorry tail below the ground!" She leapt over him, landing squarely on his back and grabbed his tail in her teeth, pulling her head up to yank it as hard as she could.

Flint yowled so loud, it may as well have been heard outside the territories. He spun on his forepaws, trying to dislodge the she-cat. But Mossnose sank her claws into his back, pulling even harder.

"Let's help her out!" Ravensky directed. He dove under Flint's belly, slashing at the back of his forepaws.

Rockpool nodded, slashing at the enormous rogue's chest. Flint spun around, unable to decide which cat to attack. He sank to the ground and rolled over, trying to crush both Ravensky and Mossnose beneath him. The two MistClan warriors darted away from him.

"You really think you can defeat me?" Flint panted, coughing up drops of blood. He grabbed Rockpool by her scruff, dragging her beneath him. "I am far stronger than you could ever hope to be."

Rockpool realized that one of her paws was free, and she unsheathed her claws. "It's my destiny to defeat you," she explained. "And I'll make sure you don't recover."

She slashed his throat with her forepaw, scrambling away from him as he collapsed. He struggled to his paws, blood gushing from the wound with every breath he took. It looked as though he was about to retaliate, when his eyes rolled back into his head and he sank to the ground.

"He's dead," Ravensky mewed breathlessly.

"Well done, Rockpool," Mossnose praised.

The fighting around them continued for a moment, when one rogue who was grappling with Minnowtail looked up. "Flint!"

The rogues stopped, then with loud shrieks, fled from the camp. Owltalon and Squirreltail chased after them, not eager to let them stay any longer in the forest.

Icepool padded out of the medicine den, carrying a bundle of marigold in her jaws. "Rockpool, you should come and get your wounds treated. You too, Mossnose and Ravensky."

The three cats nodded, and followed the old medicine cat to her den.

Rockpool's pelt pricked with unease. _I just hope the others are doing okay. _

~o~o~o~o~

Tigerstripe stumbled her way through the dark pines of ShadeClan territory, grumbling to herself. "How in the name of StarClan can these cats live in a place like this? It's so dark I can hardly see my own nose!"

At last, she reached their camp. Much to her despair, the poor cats were being overrun with rogues. Sandflower from BreezeClan and Pebblestream from MistClan were fighting tail-to-tail with two larger rogues, both clearly exhausted.

"Tigerstripe!" Sweetberry ran up to meet her. "Thank StarClan you're here! Scarlet suddenly appeared here with a bunch of rogues and before we knew it-"

Tigerstripe raised her tail for Sweetberry to calm down. "Don't worry. Where's Mousetail?" She lost sight of him when the battle began back at the Great Maple, and she suspected he had come here.

"He's in the medicine den," Sweetberry explained. "Scarlet hurt him pretty badly, and I'm not sure he'll live."

"Then why are you standing here?" Tigerstripe meowed. "Go back and help him!"

The she-cat nodded, turning around and bolting towards the medicine den. Tigerstripe bunched her muscles and leapt at the nearest rogue, grabbing its head in her forepaws and sinking her teeth into its throat. The tom yowled, kicking her off with his hind legs. A tortoiseshell rogue took his place, baring her teeth at her.

Tigerstripe shoved her aside. "This isn't your fight." She battered at the rogue's ears with her claws, before the rogue backed up and rammed herself into Tigerstripe's side.

As the rogue leapt into the air to strike again, Tigerstripe reared up onto her hind legs and slashed at the tortoiseshell's underbelly. When the rogue landed, Tigerstripe reared up again and slammed her forepaws down onto the rogue. Scrambling out from beneath her, the rogue hissed, limping out of the camp.

Talonstrike passed and nodded approvingly, when his eyes suddenly widened. "Tigerstripe! Behind you!"

Tigerstripe turned to look behind her slightly, and saw that Scarlet had made a leap for her. She lashed out with her back legs, then spun around to face the scarred she-cat.

Scarlet got up, coughing. "Well, well, well," she rasped. "What do we have here?"

"I'm Tigerstripe," she replied. "Tigerstripe of LeafClan. And you're going down!"

"Oh, am I now?" Scarlet sneered. "Alright then. Do your worst."

Tigerstripe huffed, then leapt at the rogue. She darted quickly to the side, and Tigerstripe landed on the pebbly ground. Scarlet pinned the warrior beneath her, flashing her teeth.

"It appears as though you'll be the one who will die," Scarlet taunted. "Why aren't you fighting like a warrior that you forest idiots claim to be?" She battered at Tigerstripe's belly with her back paws, drawing blood, then shoving her aside. "You're pathetic. You can't even defend yourself against me."

Tigerstripe struggled to get up, Scarlet's eyes showing nothing but sheer mockery. Tigerstripe was suddenly drawn to the scars that laced the she-cat's body, especially the scar going from her eye to her shoulder. Something clicked in her mind, and she sighed. "You're right. I'm not the greatest fighter."

"It's wonderful that you admit it," Scarlet stated.

"But there is one thing that I am good at." She used every last bit of strength to leap onto Scarlet's back, sinking her claws into her pelt. "And that's finding the enemy's weak point!"

Tigerstripe sank her teeth directly into the scar on the rogue's shoulder. Scarlet yowled, swinging her body back and forth to dislodge her, but Tigerstripe only sank her teeth in deeper. "Now let me give you some more scars to remember me by!" Tigerstripe snarled. She lifted her claws, slashing at Scarlet's neck and ears. Blood spurted from the wounds, and Tigerstripe leapt off.

"You... You forest fool!" Scarlet panted. "This... This is nothing! I can this and much more!" Scarlet's claws unsheathed, and she crept closer. Leaping, she yowled, "You will never win! You will die beneath my claws!"

Tigerstripe's eyes narrowed, as she aimed for a spot to attack on the rogue. When she finally found the perfect mark, she whispered, "No. I won't." Rearing up, she slashed at Scarlet's throat, blood beginning to pour from the wound.

When Scarlet collapsed in a crumpled heap to the ground, her eyes widened. "Shadowheart... Forgive me..." she choked out, as her last breath left her and the life in her eyes faded.

Tigerstripe glared up at all the rogues, who had stopped battling to stare at Scarlet's unmoving body. "Get out."

They screeched, dashing past her, shoving each other to the side so they wouldn't have to stay any longer.

Tigerstripe looked around at the ShadeClan camp. The rock walls were stained with blood. Sandflower and Pebblestream, who had fought so bravely to protect one of the rival Clans, were lying on the camp floor, their bodies unmoving and coated with their own blood.

Sweetberry padded out of the medicine den, her eyes sorrowful. Tigerstripe lowered her head. "Mousetail is dead, isn't he?"

Sweetberry nodded. "I tried so hard to keep him alive, but..."

Talonstrike laid his tail across her shoulders. "It's okay, Sweetberry. You did your best. That's all we could ever ask of you."

The medicine cat sighed. "Thanks."

The dark tabby tom looked around. "I suppose we should clean up here, huh?"

Tigerstripe looked at Scarlet's body. _Mudpool said that if Shadowheart died, one of these cats would take over in her place,_ Tigerstripe recalled. _If the others already defeated Flint and Rubble, and if Shadowheart sees their bodies with her own eyes..._

Tigerstripe lifted up the rogue's body by the scruff, and was about to leave the camp until Sweetberry called her back. "Let me treat your wounds before you do anything else!"

~o~o~o~o~

Mudpool sped through the forest, her jaws wide in an attempt to catch Shadowheart's scent. The cats back at the Great Maple were fighting well, but they still lost Cloudstar, after he risked his life to protect Thunderstep.

She suddenly caught Shadowheart's scent, and turning in the direction of it, she realized that it was coming from the old Twoleg nest in her own territory. As soon as she began to run towards it, she was knocked off her paws by a group of three rogues.

"Where do you think you're going?" one of them, a black tom, snarled.

"Run back to your pathetic little Clan," the white she-cat jeered.

Mudpool planted her paws firmly on the ground. "No! I'm going to defeat Shadowheart, even if it means I have to defeat all three of you!"

"How brave," the mottled gray tom meowed in a mocking tone. "But I don't believe that's possible."

As they crept closer, a cat stepped in front of Mudpool, and she recognized the cat as Nutwhisker. "Don't touch her. I'll be your opponent," the old warrior hissed.

Mudpool's eyes widened. "Nutwhisker, what are you doing?"

He turned his head to face her. "Go Mudpool. Kill Shadowheart. I'll take care of these mouse-brains."

Mudpool stared incredulously at her former mentor, wondering whether she should have actually done what he said and run. It was then that she remembered the words that Thrushflight had said to her, just before he died. _Don't hesitate. When the time comes, just act. _

She looked up determinedly at Nutwhisker, nodded, and darted past him towards the Twoleg nest, trying to ignore the yowls of the four battling cats behind her.

* * *

**YEAH! More cliffhangers! *runs from angry mob***

**Stay tuned!**


	26. Chapter 25

**YEAH! FINAL BATTLE!**

* * *

**Mudpool's Path- Chapter 25**

Mudpool padded up to what was presumably the front of the Twoleg nest. A large opening was in the face of it, with pieces of the den falling off here and there. She crept into the nest, her ears pricked and eyes narrowed.

The Twoleg nest was dark and dank. Large structures at least three tail-lengths high were leaning against the walls of the den. Mudpool's stomach heaved when she spotted the rotting corpses and bones of dead cats. _Are these cats... Shadowheart's old rogues? Or are they just random cats?_

"So good to see you." Mudpool jumped at the sound of the voice. Her head whipped to the side, and she could just barely see Shadowheart, her amber eyes glinting in the moonlight that filtered in through the broken walls. "Do you like my home? This is where I've been living with my rogues for a long time."

"Have you been killing cats here, as well?" Mudpool demanded.

"Maybe. Maybe not." Shadowheart let out a harsh purr. "Some wouldn't listen to what I said. Some of them wanted to leave. Others were just taking up too much space here. So of course I killed them."

Mudpool's eyes narrowed. "Why would you choose to fight me in a place like this?"

"I thought this would be a fun location." Shadowheart lowered herself into an attack crouch. "Are you ready to fight?"

Mudpool did the same as Shadowheart did. "Of course I am. That's kind of the reason why I came here."

"Of course it is," Shadowheart came closer. "Whatever you do, don't look behind you."

Mudpool was about to turn to look, but she let out a bitter chuckle. "You just want me to look so you can attack me from the front! Nice try, but I'm not going to fall for that." Mudpool's eyes widened. Shadowheart had disappeared.

She was taken by surprise when her back paws were swept from beneath her, and she flopped onto her belly on the ground. Shadowheart glared down at her. "Well thank you! That was just what I needed. I didn't want you to look behind you and see me."

"But how did you-"

Shadowheart's eyes glittered, and she bared her teeth. "Enough talk! Now we fight!" Shadowheart leapt, claws extended.

Mudpool darted out of the way, then spun around, grabbing Shadowheart by the scruff and shaking her back and forth before throwing her across the ground.

"You think that'll stop me?" Shadowheart snarled. "I've been around longer than you have Mudpool! I know fighting techniques that you could never even dream of!"

"Then why don't you show me?" Mudpool taunted. "I'm ready when you are!"

Shadowheart sprang at her again, this time sweeping Mudpool's paws from beneath her, flipping her over onto her belly. Shadowheart pinned Mudpool down, battering her hind legs against her belly. Mudpool struggled beneath Shadowheart's grip, her hind legs thrashing about. Shadowheart paid no mind, as she proceded to shred Mudpool's ears with her claws.

"Oh you're ready, huh?" Shadowheart hissed. "We'll see about that! Say hello to 'StarClan' for me!" She sank her teeth into Mudpool's throat, and the warrior braced herself for blood to come rushing out of her, along with her entire life.

Suddenly, she got an idea. Mudpool went limp, shutting her eyes. When Shadowheart yowled with triumph and loosened her grip, Mudpool flung herself upwards, throwing Shadowheart off. The rogue slammed against the wall. Mudpool's breath caught in her throat when one of the structures leaning against it started to wobble uneasily.

Shadowheart snickered. She circled Mudpool, her amber eyes glittering with hatred. She backtracked, catching Mudpool off guard, and slithered forward like a snake, slashing Mudpool's flank. Mudpool yowled, and turned her head as blood began to trickle out of the wound.

"You'll pay for that," Mudpool snarled. "In fact, you'll pay for everything you've done to me and the Clans, especially Snowstorm!" Ignoring the burning in her flank, she leapt up, landing squarely on Shadowheart's back, gripping her shoulders with unsheathed claws. Shadowheart whirled around in an attempt to fling Mudpool off. Mudpool raked the old rogue's spine with her hind claws, while she bit roughly into her scruff.

Shadowheart lowered herself, and Mudpool leapt off just in time to avoid being crushed beneath her. She swiped at Mudpool's face, scoring her claws just above Mudpool's eyes. Blood dripped into her eyes, and she blinked the drops away so she could see her enemy clearer.

"Mouse-dung!" Shadowheart muttered. "If I were younger, I'd have been able to blind you with that move."

"Too bad," Mudpool meowed with fake sympathy; she was completely beyond the point of being able to feel sorry for Shadowheart. "No sense in wishing, now is there?"

"Snarkiness doesn't really suit your style Mudpool," Shadowheart stated. She lunged for Mudpool's throat, her paws outstretched and claws unsheathed. Her clumsy blow didn't hit her throat, but her chest. Mudpool's fur and skin tore, blood dripping from the wound.

Mudpool wrapped her paws around Shadowheart's neck, dragging her down onto the ground. The two she-cats wrestled, before Shadowheart slammed her front paws directly onto Mudpool's chest wound. The brown she-cat recoiled, giving Shadowheart enough time to push Mudpool off with her hind legs.

Mudpool lifted herself up, struggling to stay on her paws. "I won't... I won't lose against you!"

As she began to stumble, Shadowheart's eyes glittered with amusement. "You may as well give up now," she snorted. "You've already lost. Besides, even if you did defeat me, there would still be a cat to take my place."

"That's where you're wrong." Mudpool and Shadowheart turned in astonishment towards the entrance of the Twoleg nest. Hawkwing, Rockpool and Tigerstripe padded in, each of them carrying the corpses of Flint, Scarlet and Rubble.

"You did it," Mudpool panted. "You were actually able to kill them..."

Hawkwing nodded, glaring at Shadowheart. "Looks like all we have to do is kill you, and that will be the end of it."

Shadowheart's blood-tipped claws glinted in the soft moonlight. "You really think you can defeat me? You're forest cats. You've all gone soft-hearted because of your so-called StarClan and your stupid warrior code."

As Shadowheart gloated, Mudpool quietly crept closer towards her, unsheathing her claws. Making sure Shadowheart didn't see her, she lashed out with her claws, slicing Shadowheart's chest. Blood quickly streamed out of the wound. The old she-cat screeched and spun around, amber eyes like flames.

"I can defeat you," Mudpool declared. "I won't let you get out of here alive, and I will avenge Snowstorm!" Mudpool leapt on top of Shadowheart, flipping her over onto her back, and slashing her claws across the rogue's belly. Blood spilled from the wound, and Mudpool shoved Shadowheart against one of the structures behind her.

Shadowheart sat up, coughing up clots of blood. Mudpool panted, hearing her own blood dripping onto the ground. The structure wobbled again, almost seeming as though it would tip over. Shadowheart paid no attention to it.

"You can't kill me!" the rogue cried. "You are a fool! I will be a leader! I will take over the forest!" With every word, blood spilled quicker from her wounds, causing her to breath even heavier.

Mudpool looked up at the structure which was able to steady itself. _If I hit that... thing, it should be able to lose its balance, and fall over!_

Mudpool mustered up all her strength, and leapt directly at Shadowheart, slamming her against the enormous object. Shadowheart lashed out at Mudpool with a powerful swipe of her paw, sending the brown she-cat skidding across the hard ground.

"You're wrong," Mudpool rasped. "You will never take over the forest. You are nothing but a cold, heartless mouse-heart who never deserved to even come here."

Shadowheart appeared as though she was about to leap and rip Mudpool's heart out, until the structure creaked and began to tip forward. Shadowheart looked up, eyes widening.

Her blood-curdling screech was cut off as she was crushed beneath it. A deafening snap echoed through the Twoleg nest, and as blood flowed out from beneath the structure, Mudpool knew that Shadowheart was finally dead.

"We did it," Tigerstripe whispered.

"We won't have to worry about getting killed by a rogue every night," Rockpool added.

Mudpool nodded, then she stumbled. Hawkwing ran up to support her shoulder. "Let's get back to camp," Mudpool croaked. "We need to get healed."

~o~o~o~o~

Rainspots' fur bushed out as she faced another rogue. When their Clan left for the Great Maple, a group of rogues had rushed in, without giving the rest of them any time to go and ask for help. They were all still fighting fit, but when one rogue left, another seemed to pop back up right in their place.

She slashed out at the tom's chest, spilling his blood onto the camp floor. He yelped, scrambling away from her and rushing out of camp.

"My kits!" Morninglight yowled, as she was dragged out of the nursery by her scruff by a rogue. Rainspots ran over to help her, shoving the rogue away and running up to the entrance. Two rogues loomed over Morninglight's nest, her kits squealing in terror.

Rainspots was about to go in, when she was shoved aside by a ginger and white tom. She hissed, but then she realized that it was Maplefrost.

The tom's eyes were as sharp as a dog's teeth, and his claws were unsheathed instantly. "Step. Away. From my kits."

The rogues looked at each other with amused looks in their eyes, and one of them began to speak in a mocking tone, "Oh, your poor little kits! What are you going to do if I don't leave?"

Maplefrost padded closer, then sliced through the rogue's throat with unsheathed claws, and he instantly fell to the ground, blood rushing out of the wound, his eyes blank. Maplefrost turned to the other one, lifting a bloodstained paw. "Still want to stay?"

The rogue screeched in fear, shoving past Maplefrost and Rainspots, and crashed out of the camp entrance.

Morninglight ran up to her mate, licking his cheek. "Thank you," she whispered lovingly. "Thank you, thank you, thank you."

Maplefrost touched his nose to hers. "I would do anything to protect the ones I love."

Rainspots backed out of the nursery, only to bump into a large rogue who was being overwhelmed by both Cloudpaw and Darkpaw. Cloudpaw clung onto his head, battering at his eyes and ears, while Darkpaw raked his front and back claws across his back.

"That's what you get for killing our mother!" Darkpaw yowled, casting a swift glance across the camp to where Birdwing's body laid. She had come back to camp to get healed by Ferntail, but when she got to camp, she was instantly killed.

Petalnose and Dawnheart fought tail to tail with two other rogues, matching each other's moves as though they were a reflection in a pond. Splashfur as well fought when she needed to, only ever leaving the camp to deliver herbs.

Rainspots heard faint rustling at the entrance, and Dawnstar pounded into the camp, the rest of her patrol hot on her heels. Rainspots felt a rush of relief when she saw Hawkwing, Rockpool and Tigerstripe racing into camp, leaping on any rogues they came in contact with. Mudpool was also with them, but she was bleeding heavily. She limped into the medicine den.

_Maybe she fought Shadowheart,_ Rainspots thought. _Did she defeat her? Or did Shadowheart beat her, and she's coming as we speak?_

Her thoughts were interrupted as a dark brown rogue tackled her, pinning her to the ground. Shoving him off and swiping her claws at him, Rainspots prayed that she was right, and that Mudpool had succeeded.

~o~o~o~o~

"I'm okay now, Ferntail," Mudpool insisted. "I need to go out now."

Ferntail stood in front of her, blocking the entrance. "Oh no you don't! I don't want you to open up any of those wounds!"

"Let me out!"

"No!"

"Ferntail, it's okay." The medicine cat turned her head to see Sandfur standing behind her. "I'll protect her."

Ferntail stared at him for a while, and she stepped out of the way, letting Mudpool get up and leave with Sandfur.

"I'm so happy you're okay," Sandfur whispered, licking her scarred ear gently. Together, they padded through the fray of fighting cats. It was difficult, but Mudpool was finally able to climb up to the top of the Highbranch.

"Shadowheart is dead!" Mudpool yowled with all her strength, wincing as the force of her yowl hurt her throat.

The rogues all shrugged. "So what? We still have Rubble!"

At that moment, a group of rogues ran into the camp. One of them attempted to catch their breath before speaking. "Bad news! Rubble is-"

"They're all dead!" Mudpool interrupted. "They were all killed! And so was Shadowheart!"

The rogues now all looked extremely worried. They exchanged glances with each other, not knowing what to do. They only broke out of this silence when one screamed, "Run!"

Each and every single rogue raced out of the camp, tails between their legs.

Sandfur helped Mudpool down the Highbranch, where Dawnstar and the rest of her Clanmates met them.

"You were able to kill Shadowheart?" Dawnstar asked.

Mudpool nodded. She explained to Dawnstar what had happened during the battle, including how Shadowheart had been living in the Twoleg nest, and how she would even kill some of her own rogues. Not wanting to go too far into detail about it, Mudpool changed the subject. "Does anyone know where Nutwhisker is?"

Everyone exchanged confused glances. Silverclaw looked at her. "No, not that any of us know of, why?"

Mudpool let out a defeated sigh. So her old mentor really had been killed. "It's just that before I went to face Shadowheart, he-"

"What's all this about Shadowheart?"

The cats turned their heads in the direction of the voice, and they all parted to the side to let a heavily wounded cat through. His pelt was slicked down with poultices of marigold and cobwebs, and Mudpool recognized the kind eyes of Nutwhisker.

"You... You survived?" Mudpool meowed incredulously. "But how?"

Nutwhisker nodded, touching his nose to hers. "It wasn't too hard. I simply avoided all their attacks, so they just tired themselves out. Sure they got me quite a few times, but my tactic still worked. When they were too tired to move, that was when I attacked." He purred. "But after that, I know I'll definitely be retiring after this."

Cloudpaw padded up to Nutwhisker, nudging him gently on the flank. "Excuse me, Nutwhisker. But was Snowstorm with you? She hasn't come back yet."

Dawnstar let out a ragged sigh, draping her tail over the apprentice's shoulders. "I'm sorry, Cloudpaw. Snowstorm didn't make it."

Cloudpaw looked up at her, sadness filling his gaze. "But... But that means I don't have a mentor anymore!" he wailed. "What am I going to do now?"

Dawnstar padded away from him, stopping to sit in front of the crowd. "Cloudpaw, come forward, please." Confused, the light gray tom obeyed, sitting down in front of her. "You fought well today, so I will pick a mentor that I believe will be fitting for you. Sandfur, come forward."

Sandfur gasped beside Mudpool, and she nudged her mate forward, feeling as though her heart would burst with pride.

"Sandfur you have shown yourself to be selfless and kind. I expect you to pass on these qualities to your new apprentice."

Sandfur nodded, bending his head to touch noses with Cloudpaw, who did the same.

"Cloudpaw! Cloudpaw!" The cats' voices may have been battle-worn and ragged, but they still echoed through the forest loudly.

Ferntail emerged from the medicine den. "Dawnstar, you still have to pick a new deputy," she reminded.

Dawnstar nodded, lifting her muzzle. "I say these words before StarClan, so that they and the spirit of Snowstorm may hear and approve my choice. Silverclaw will be the new deputy of LeafClan!"

Mudpool turned to Silverclaw. "Well done, brother." She, along with the rest of the Clan, once again lifted their voices into the air as they called out the deputy's name.

Darkpaw pranced around his mentor's paws. "I'm the deputy's apprentice! I'm the deputy's apprentice!"

Splashfur, Petalnose and Dawnheart padded up to the LeafClan leader. "We should return to our own Clans now," Splashfur meowed. "Thank you for having us fight for you."

Dawnstar nodded. "Have a safe trip home. If you see any rogues... You know what to do." The three cats nodded, walking out of LeafClan's camp.

When the cheers died down, the sun began to rise just between the trees. The sky filled with grayish-pink dawn light. "Looks like StarClan approves," Rainspots whispered.

"Yes," Riverflower mused. "We're finally at peace."

"There won't be anymore worrying for us," Streamtail added. "Because as long as the sun rises, we'll still be here, be it in StarClan, or here with the rest of our own Clan."

Sandfur sat back down beside Mudpool, pressing his muzzle to the top of her head. "I love you. More than anything."

Mudpool stared up at him, her green eyes sparkling. "As do I."

Glancing up towards the slowly brightening sky, Mudpool could have sworn she saw an image of Shimmerheart looking down on her with kind eyes. Mudpool then did what Shimmerheart would have wanted her to do if she had ever been visited again.

_The shadows of the past are threatening the Clans,_ she reflected. _The cats of mud, hawk, rock, rain and tiger must come together to defeat the impending darkness. _

And it was then that Mudpool realized that, without a doubt, they certainly did.

* * *

**Woah, woah, hey! Where do you think you're going? This ISN'T the final chapter. Click... wherever you're supposed to click to go to the next chapter (not sure if reader is on mobile device or desktop computer XD)**


	27. Epilogue

***starts up happy ending music***

* * *

**Mudpool's Path- Epilogue**

It had been at least three moons since the battle with the rogues. Life continued on through the Clans as usual. It took a while to repair the damages the rogues had done to their camps, but with a little time and patience, their camps were better reinforced with brambles and whatever else they could find. As well, the prey soon began to run again, as though it had never been gone.

The Twoleg nest in LeafClan territory eventually collapsed when a windstorm hit, and, well, the bodies of all those rogues were nowhere to be seen.

Shadowheart was most certainly dead, along with many of her rogues. The remaining survivors had never shown up again, possibly in fear that the Clans would defeat them.

In BreezeClan, Thunderstep had recieved his nine lives, and was now known as Thunderstar. He had made his sister, Heatherfoot, his deputy. Not many cats thought this was a fair choice, but he made it clear he wasn't choosing favourites, and made sure that Heatherfoot was doing her duty as deputy. They mourned over the loss of Sandflower, one of their warriors, but they were still able to be resilient and move on.

ShadeClan was still a fairly small Clan, but they made up for their lack of warriors by being able to prove that just because they don't have many cats doesn't mean they are weak, when they drove two foxes out of the forest. When Mousetail died, Flamestar had decided to make Talonstrike his deputy. And what a fine deputy he was! He completely avoided picking fights with the other Clans, only speaking up when he needed to.

MistClan had lost a few cats, and Ivystar had also lost a life, but they stayed strong. Mossnose and Ravensky had finally had their own kits, a healthy tom and she-cat named Nightkit and Lichenkit, respectively. Ravensky had finally earned the trust and approval that he always wanted from his Clanmates, and he didn't let another cat tease Mossnose about being friendly with cats from another Clan again.

Finally, LeafClan was faring well. Splashfur, Petalnose and Dawnheart had returned safely to their Clans. Silverclaw was doing well as LeafClan's new deputy, not letting any cat get off easy. Dapplescar and Birchpelt were normally chosen to work together, not that they minded. They appeared to be very friendly with each other. Sandfur worked well with his apprentice. It was a new thing for him, but he did his absolute best.

With the pressure of the prophecy finally lifted off their shoulders, Mudpool, Hawkwing, Rockpool, Rainspots and Tigerstripe were able to continue their Clan life with ease, not having to worry about rogues anymore.

Speaking of Mudpool...

~o~o~o~o~

Mudpool finally relaxed, listening to the tiny squeaks of her new kits. Her eyes drooped, and she felt as though she would fall asleep at any moment. Sandfur padded into the nursery, his gaze full of love for his mate and kits.

"A tom and a she-cat," Ferntail whispered to him. "Did I do okay?"

"You did perfect, Ferntail," Sandfur meowed. "Thank you so much."

"Don't forget to eat those borage leaves, Mudpool," Ferntail added. "You'll need them."

"I know," Mudpool meowed, bending down to lick up the leaves. As she did that, she stole a glance at her kits. They kneaded at her belly with tiny paws.

"Have you thought of names for them?" Sandfur asked.

Mudpool nodded. She pointed with her tail at the light brown tabby tom. "I want to name him Grasskit." She wanted to name him after Grassnose, who was vital in finding out more about Shadowheart.

"I like that name," Sandfur commented. He focused his gaze on the dark gray she-cat, who reminded Mudpool of her brother. "Can I name this one?"

"Of course," Mudpool purred.

"I think I want to call her Shimmerkit," Sandfur meowed. "Is that okay with you?"

Mudpool remembered with amusement that she had never told her mate about Shimmerheart. She decided the name could be her own personal memory of the kind StarClan cat. "I think it's perfect for her."

Sandfur looked down at his kits. "Grasskit and Shimmerkit," he murmured. "Welcome to LeafClan."

"We're a family now," Mudpool mewed. "Just like we always wanted."

Sandfur nodded. "Just like we always wanted."

They were quiet for a moment, when Mudpool suddenly let out a mrrow of laughter.

"What is it?" Sandfur asked.

"I was just thinking that it was a good thing we had them in greenleaf and not leaf-bare, like when I was born."

Sandfur tilted his head. "Why's that? Despite the obvious lack of prey."

Mudpool chuckled. "Because I hate the cold. In fact, I hate leaf-bare altogether, to be honest."

Sandfur rolled his eyes with amusement. "Where have I heard that before?"

* * *

**And now... THE FINAL ALLEGIANCES! *hears applause from invisible audience***


	28. Final Allegiances

**Let's see if you can find out who's missing from every Clan XD**

* * *

**_Mudpool's Path- Allegiances_**

**LeafClan**

**Leader: **  
Dawnstar- Black and white she-cat (9 lives left)

**Deputy: **  
Silverclaw- Silver tabby tom  
Apprentice: Darkpaw

**Medicine Cat: **  
Ferntail- Light brown she-cat with a white chest and paws

**Warriors: **  
Nightclaw- Black tom

Nettlepelt- Mottled black and brown she-cat

Riverflower- Gray she-cat with blue eyes

Streamtail- Pale gray tom

Rainspots- Mottled light gray tabby she-cat

Sandfur- Pale ginger tom with amber eyes  
Apprentice: Cloudpaw

Rockpool- Gray she-cat

Maplefrost- Orange and white tom

Mudpool- Mottled brown tabby she-cat

Hawkwing- Brown and white she-cat

Tigerstripe- Ginger tabby she-cat with white paws

Dapplescar- Tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes, has a scar on her forehead

Birchpelt- Gray tabby tom

**Apprentices: **  
Cloudpaw- Light gray tom with blue eyes

Darkpaw- Very dark gray tom with amber eyes

**Queens: **  
Morninglight- Gold and white she-cat, mother of Maplefrost's kits: Rosekit (ginger she-cat with blue eyes) and Icekit (white tom)

Mudpool- Mottled brown tabby she-cat, mother of Sandfur's kits: Grasskit (light brown tabby tom) and Shimmerkit (dark gray she-cat)

**Elders:**  
Mosseyes- Gold and white tom with bright green eyes

Goldpetal- Ginger and white she-cat

Nutwhisker- Gray and white tom with green eyes

**MistClan**

**Leader:**  
Ivystar- Light brown tabby she-cat (1 life left)

**Deputy: **  
Foxfang- Reddish-ginger tom

**Medicine Cat:**  
Icepool- White and silver she-cat with blue eyes

**Warriors:**  
Toadleap- Dark brown tabby tom

Shimmerstream- Black and silver she-cat

Fernheart- Light brown tabby she-cat

Splashfur- White she-cat with gray spots

Ravensky- Handsome black tom, formerly a rogue

Minnowtail- Black she-cat  
Apprentice: Rainpaw

Owltalon- Brown tabby tom  
Apprentice: Shellpaw

Squirreltail- Brown she-cat

Stormcloud- Dark gray tom

Duskflower- Black she-cat

**Apprentices: **  
Rainpaw- Speckled gray tom

Shellpaw- White she-cat

**Queens: **  
Wavestripe- Silver she-cat with wavy tabby stripes, mother to Pinekit (brown tom) and Graykit (gray tabby tom)

Mossnose- Tortoiseshell she-cat with white paws and a black-tipped tail, mother of Ravensky's kits: Lichenkit (tortoiseshell she-cat) and Nightkit (black tom)

**Elders:**  
Reedstripe- Light brown tabby tom

Marshpelt- Gray tom with green eyes

**ShadeClan**

**Leader:**  
Flamestar- Ginger tom with amber eyes (3 lives left)

**Deputy:**  
Talonstrike- Dark brown tabby tom

**Medicine Cat:**  
Sweetberry- White she-cat with brown spotted coat and a bright pink nose

**Warriors:**  
Pineclaw- Reddish brown tom

Shadowfall- Black tom

Leopardtail- Light brown spotted tabby she-cat

Darkpetal- Dark gray she-cat

Mossfern- Tortoiseshell she-cat

Poppypetal- Reddish ginger she-cat

Snakefang- Brown tabby tom

Ivyheart- Light brown tabby she-cat

Honeywhisker- Pale ginger she-cat

Swiftheart- Gray and white she-cat

**Apprentices:**  
None

**Queens:**  
Lilypetal- White she-cat with gray paws, mother to Icekit (pale gray she-cat)

**Elders:**  
Smokeshadow- Dark gray tom with amber eyes

Willowfrost- Gray she-cat

**BreezeClan**

**Leader:**  
Thunderstar- Huge gray tom with yellow eyes (9 lives left)

**Deputy:**  
Heatherfoot- Small gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes

**Medicine Cat:**  
Sunpelt- Golden tom with green eyes

**Warriors:**  
Owlpelt- Brown and white tabby tom

Whispersong- Brown she-cat

Dogfang- Dark brown tabby tom

Icefur- White she-cat

Stonestream- Gray tabby tom

Rabbitfoot- White tom

Petalnose- Cream tabby she-cat with green eyes

Dawnheart- Cream and white she-cat with blue eyes

Frostwind- White she-cat

Seedpelt- Brown tabby tom

Foxtail- Ginger tom

Hollyberry- Black and white she-cat

**Apprentices:**  
None

**Queens:**  
Featherheart- Very pale gray she-cat, mother to Windkit (gray she-cat) and Snowkit (white tom)

**Elders:**  
Nightflower- Black she-cat

Spiderstripe- Dark gray tom with black tabby stripes

Brighteyes- White and ginger she-cat with blue eyes

* * *

**And that's that! Thanks SO MUCH for taking the time out of your busy lives to read this! It really means a lot to me :D**

**Am I going to make a sequel?**

**... BAHAHAHAHAHAHA!**

**No. But I have started a Pokemon Mystery Dungeon fanfic in case you want to check that out ;)**

**Bye! And thanks for reading!**


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